Viura grape variety: description and characteristics, cultivation and care, diseases

Viura is a grape variety considered one of the best for making quality wine. Grown mainly in southern France and northern Spain. Winemakers note the high taste and technical characteristics of Viura or Macabeo grapes, as it is sometimes called.

Description and characteristics of Viura grapes

Viura variety, or Macabeo is used only for wine production. It shows quite high yields. The wine is sparkling, dry, still or sweet, with a refined, tart and sweet taste.

At the same time, the production technology and the choice of the type of drink depends on the time the grapes were harvested. For example, if grapes are harvested in bunches:

• early, you get a fresh, very fragrant and flowery drink;
• late, then wines are obtained with a touch of honey, nuts, rather dense in texture, rich in aroma, strong.

The grapes can be aged in stainless steel vats or oak barrels. The difference is significant - this changes the aroma and smell of a noble drink.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Despite the fact that the Viura grape variety is tasty, it is optimally suited for creating interesting taste characteristics of a wine drink, it can be grown on poor soils. The advantages of the variety include:

• possibility of cultivation on low-yielding soils;
• gathering at different stages (this changes the taste characteristics);
• minimum maintenance requirement;
• good frost resistance and heat resistance.

But the main advantage of the Viura grape variety is that it can be used to get drinks that are interesting in aroma and taste. For example, if you mix it with the popular malvasia, you get a white wine with a slight sunny tint, quite classic in taste. If you add Viura to the famous Tempranillo, you get a very tasty, rich in color scarlet wine. It is also quite common practice when Spanish sparkling wine - Cava - is produced from Viura grapes. It is quite difficult to make, it requires grapes with special characteristics, and Viura fully satisfies the parameters.

The disadvantages of the variety include the inability to eat it.The berries are small (up to three grams by weight, but usually less), have a thick skin, which gives an indescribable aroma. Also, the variety is susceptible to the action of natural pests, so processing is required. This is especially important for situations where grape varieties are grown in Russia by summer residents on their own.

Processing should be done at least 4-5 times per season, but if problems are observed, even more often.

Features of cultivation

Macabeo grapes are loved by Rioja winemakers. The point is the unpretentiousness and versatility of the variety - Viura is added not only to classic white wines and Spanish Cava, but also to red, pink ones.

Viura is an unpretentious variety in cultivation. Seedlings are chosen large, their roots should not have chips, damage. Landing takes place in late autumn or early spring. Any soil will do. But at the beginning of life, mineral supplements should be applied.The vineyard must be covered for the winter - although the variety is frost-resistant, it may not survive the harsh winter.

Care Tips

The vines of the Virua variety grow rapidly. But their length is by no means good, since the grapes do not hold well on them, the size of the bunch decreases. It is important to cut the vine, and it is advisable to do this after 3-4 years of life.

Damaged parts of the plant must be removed, but they do it in late autumn before preparing for wintering.

The holes in which grapes grow are often loosened. It is important for the roots to be saturated with air - so the harvest will be better. Watering occurs in dry weather often. But as soon as the first color appears, it is limited, and during the ripening period it is not carried out at all.

Disease and pest control

The Viura grape variety is susceptible to pests and diseases. Insecticide treatment is carried out at the beginning of the formation of the ovary. After that, it is done in three weeks. Additional processing will be required 2-3 weeks before harvest. To strengthen the vine and give it freshness, treatment for diseases, for immunity, is also carried out after harvest (at least 4-5 days later, so that the plant has time to rest).

It should be understood that the composition of the product may remain on the grapes. Therefore, when preparing homemade wine, it must be washed thoroughly. Even if it rained, then it should be done.

Collecting, storing and applying the harvest

Harvesting takes place in September, but depending on climatic conditions, the time varies. Keeps for a long time, it is better to use stainless steel vats or barrels.

Viura is used to make wine. They make a drink both purely from this variety and complement it with others.

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