Experts of Moldovan organizations of winegrowers believe that table grapes of the main export variety “Moldova” of the new harvest will become available on the market at least three weeks later this year than in the previous two or three years. They note that in most areas of grape cultivation of this variety “half of the berries in bunches are still green, sugar content is far from a minimum required of 17%.” This is due to precipitation in July-August.
In this regard, it is worth recalling that, as reported by EastFruit, in July some winegrowing experts assumed that, despite unusual weather – cool, rainy spring and early summer, Moldova table grapes would be able to recover in the second half of summer. As a result, the first table grapes may appear on sale in the first half of September. But many growers agree now that only “Moldova” will ripen to the required conditions in September in vineyards on the tops of hills.
In previous seasons, only Moldova table grapes arrived at maturity in irrigated vineyards by mid-October. But thanks to rains in the second half of summer this year, “it seems as if all the vineyards in the country are under irrigation”, the growers say.
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In addition to delayed ripening, the abundance of moisture can have a different effect, experts say. In some previous years, precipitation during the table grape harvest (following extended dry periods) caused berries cracking and spoiling. This year, due to berries having accumulated a lot of moisture, “the risk of cracking is reduced even in the case of a rainy autumn.”
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