Grape variety and grafted vine plant Torrontés: all the secrets

Torrontés

A very old variety cultivated mainly in the Portuguese regions of Dão and Douro (Malvasia Fina) and on the island of Madeira (Boal). In Spain it is grown in the Galician province of Ourense. It is different from Torrontés de Cuenca (Heben), Torrontés de Cordoba (Zalema), Torrontés de Madrid (Alarije, Malvasia Riojana, Subirat Parent), Turruntes (Albillo Mayor), Terrantez da Madeira (Folgasão) and Terrantez en Dão.

CULTIVATED AREA IN SPAIN

YEAR	1990	1999	2009
HECTARES	3	75	141

CULTIVATED AREA IN PORTUGAL

YEAR	1989	2000	2011
HECTARES	13.050	7.000	2.016

Budburst period: medium-early.
Ripening period: medium.
Yield: good, abundant.

Ampelographic characters:

the bud, with its open, whitish apex, has slightly carminate edges. The medium-sized, pentagonal, five-lobed leaf has medium-sized and straight teeth. The petiolar sinus is slightly open and lyre shaped. The cluster is medium-large, conical-truncated and moderately compact. The berry is medium-small, elliptical and doesn’t easily detach from the rachis.

Cultural aptitude:

medium-highly vigorous vine of semi-upright growth habit. It adapts to several types of soils, provided they are not too compact and warm.

Training system and pruning:

adaptable to different training systems and pruning.

Susceptibility to diseases and adverse conditions:

quite susceptible to downy mildew and powdery mildew, as well as botrytis.

Enological potential:

it produces wines with fine and elegant aromas, although of weak structure and medium-low acidity. Suitable both for production of still, generous wines and, with early harvest, for production of sparkling wines.