Bastardo grapes: description and characteristics of the variety, cultivation and care with photos

Huge plantations in France, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova given to the cultivation of Bastardo grapes - one of the best varieties for winemaking. It is also cultivated in the southern regions of Russia. Berries of technical maturity of the Bastardo and Bastardo Magarachsky varieties have long been used to make ports and noble wines of various strengths.

Bastardo grapes - description

The variety is self-fertile, its flowers are bisexual. Clusters are formed small. When mature, the weight of each of them is from 150 to 175 g, with a length of 11 to 14 cm and a width at the base of 9 to 11 cm.The structure is conical, friability is medium. The berries are medium to small in size. Berries have 2 to 4 seeds.

Winter hardiness of varieties is average, as well as to fungal infections of oidium and mildew. The main enemy of Bastardo is gray rot. With the exception of minor discrepancies in the description of the leaves and the distances between the nodes, the variety of the Magarachsky variety coincides in appearance with Bastardo in the appearance of clusters and berries.

Legend and historical background

Some historical sources claim that France is the birthplace of this grape variety, which, obviously, contributes to the name of the variety. Translated from the French "Bastardo" - an illegitimate nobleman. Others include France, Armenia, Portugal. According to more ancient manuscript sources, the winegrowers of Ancient Hellas were involved in the first selection of varieties for winemaking.

The legend of the creation of Bastardo wine

The beginning of the 19th century, winemaking is at a low stage of development. Despite the large areas allocated for vineyards of different varieties, there are not so many wine names. The ruler of Portugal, Fernando II, decided to encourage his subjects to create a new variety of wine with a gift of 300 hectares of land for vineyards. The condition for receiving a reward was to create a bright, exquisite bouquet.

Many tried to please their king, but none of the presented drinks fully satisfied the noble person.

The prize would not have been awarded if it weren’t for a happy coincidence - in a hurry to give Fernando II drinks of his own preparation for tasting, a commoner girl and a young man from a we althy family collided, the girl’s container cracked during the collision, and the wine poured on earth. The guy offered to pour the rest of it into his jug, presenting the wine to the king as the fruit of common efforts.So the mutual sympathy of young people helped create an interesting blend of Bastardo wine, with a ratio of 16% and 12% sugar.

To the question of the king, who created this amazing drink, the lovers began to give a branch of primacy to each other. Thanks to the wisdom of the sovereign, the wine got its name "Bastardo", an illegitimate nobleman in whom weak and strong blood is mixed.

Appearance description

Young shoots are distinguished by white tops with a raspberry tint, characteristic down is observed in the upper part. It falls off as the crust thickens. There is no fluff on the two-year-old shoots, and their bark becomes light brown.

Small smooth 5-lobed leaves with a slight dissection. The short lateral joints of the leaf are more reminiscent of a lyre; the petiole has a deep oval notch.On the underside of the leaf plate there is a gentle pubescence, on the veins of the bristles. In the variety Bastardo Magarachsky, the leaf has a more saturated color, the leaves are distinguished by an uneven, asymmetric carved border along the edge.

Quality characteristics

The bush has 50% fruitful shoots. From one hectare planted with a hybrid variety, from 107 to 180 centners of berries are harvested per season. The variety is resistant to frost and drought.

When forming a bush, a low and high bole of culture is determined, which is dictated by the climatic conditions of the Bastardo grape growing region.

Ripening dates

The growing season of Bastardo grapes lasts 146-150 days. The crop has time to ripen only in warm, sunny regions.

An unrivaled variety for winemaking

The combination of acids and sugars in the mass fraction of juice obtained from Bastardo berries is considered unsurpassed.Sweetness is ≈ 23.5%, acidity is about 8%. The ratio of acids to sugar in the berries of this grape variety makes Bastardo the optimal raw material for the production of dark ruby dessert wines, characterized by:

• long aftertaste;
• enveloping texture;
• velvety fragrance;
• chocolate notes.

Bastardo grapes are used in the manufacture of semi-sweet, dry, fortified wines.

Resistance to diseases and pests

Resistance to mildew and oidium diseases is rated as average. Weak resistance in the Bastardo variety to gray rot, it can be caused by relatively cool air temperatures and oversaturation of the soil with moisture.

Description of berries

Relatively large up to 15.5 mm long and 12 mm wide berries and smaller, oval ones grow on one bunch. The peel is dark blue, the flesh is red-burgundy, at a certain stage of ripening with greenish streaks. There are 2 to 4 seeds in a berry.

Vine cultivation and care

Each region where Bastardo grapes grow has its own care characteristics, which is determined by the density and fertility of the soil, the humidity or aridity of the region, and the real, not calendar, dates for the onset of spring.

Cutting

When forming a low bole during autumn pruning, 4-5 buds are left on the vine. More gentle pruning is recommended for a tall trunk - 6-8 buds should remain on the shoot.

Irrigation

When growing grapes, 4 mandatory abundant waterings per season are recommended:

• beginning of flowering;
• formation of ovaries;
• gaining bunches of weight;
• before the cold snap.

Given that the Bastardo variety is mainly grown in mild climatic zones, during the period of drought, at the stage of collecting juice with berries, an irrigation irrigation method should be used. The system, which turns on automatically, will allow growing grapes on large areas without attracting additional labor.

Feeding

Grapes practically do not need organic top dressing, but at the stage of flowering and fruit formation, it is imperative to saturate the soil with nitrogen, at least twice per season. When the berries have formed, phosphate dressing is required. Mineral complexes are introduced into the soil as needed, as can be judged by the appearance of the bush.

Protection from diseases and pests

At the stage before flowering, the vine must be sprayed with insecticides. When leaves, bark are affected by diseases or pests, the shoot is cut off immediately and burned.All fallen fruits and leaves must be regularly removed from under the bushes, they can cause damage to the plant.

Collecting and applying the harvest

Ripening of berries is simultaneous. As a raw material for wine, the crop is harvested at the stage of technical maturity and immediately sent for processing - the production of must. Overripe grapes are suitable for drying raisins, but this method of processing is rarely used due to the presence of seeds. Like any berry, sweet Bastardo can be eaten raw.

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