Characteristics and classification of the grapevine species Vitis vinifera L.

It is called European grapevine, but this name is conditional, as the Eurasian grapevine grows not only in Europe, but also in the western and eastern parts of Asia and Africa. It is the most common and practically significant grape species, the berries of which are characterized by the highest taste qualities, which is why the overwhelming majority of cultivated grape cultivars belong to this species.

Vitis vinifera is an exceptionally polymorphic species. It is divided into 2 subspecies:

• V. vinifera ssp. silvestris Gmel. — wild grapevine (Vitis silvestris);
• V. vinifera ssp. sativa D. C. — cultivated grapevine (Vitis sativa).

V. vinifera ssp. silvestris, in turn, is divided into 2 varieties:

• var. tipica Negr. — typical wild forest grapevine, growing in the more northern and western regions and characterized by the uniformity of morphological traits;
• var. aberrans Negr. — found in the southern and eastern regions. This is a transitional form between V. vinifera ssp. silvestris and V. vinifera ssp. sativa. Plants of this form are polymorphic in berry color and flower type.

Wild grapevine belongs to plants of the moderately warm and subtropical climate, grows widely in the form of individual lianas or thickets and creeping shrubs in moist places along river valleys, in gorges, deciduous forests and on mountain slopes in Central and Southern Europe, in countries located in the basins of the Black and Mediterranean seas, in Western Asia, and Northern Africa. In our country, it is found along the banks of the Danube, Prut, Dniester, Bug and Dnieper, in the Crimea, in the Kuban, and along the entire Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. In Dagestan, Transcaucasia and Turkmenistan, it grows even at an altitude of 1000–1500 m above sea level.

Wild grapevine plants are dioecious, having male and functionally female flowers. The leaves are mostly small or medium-sized, entire or slightly dissected, 3-lobed, less often 5-lobed, with slight cobwebby pubescence or glabrous. The clusters are small, sometimes medium-sized; berries are small, black, round, less often oval, edible, sour or sweet-sour, superior in taste to the berries of East Asian and American species, and easily susceptible to rotting. The skin and seeds are difficult to separate from the pulp. The seeds are small, with a short beak.

Bush growth and yield are average. It is susceptible to phylloxera and is severely affected by fungal diseases. Frost resistance is lower than that of other species, while drought resistance is higher. It is not demanding on the soil, but grows well in deep, loose, sufficiently moist soil. It crosses relatively easily with other grape species, and cuttings root well. In the distant past, wild grapevine was consumed by humans fresh and processed into wine.

The study of wild grapevine, conducted by Soviet and foreign scientists — A. M. Negrul, P. A. Baranov, V. M. Malikov, I. K. Ivanov, K. I. Katerov, and others — made it possible to establish that the cultivated Eurasian grapevine originated from the wild grapevine — Vitis vinifera ssp. silvestris.

According to A. M. Negrul's concept, the earliest center of origin for the cultivated grapevine was Western Asia, and the later one was the Central Asian region. The introduction of wild forest grapevine into culture also took place in other regions of Eurasia, but in a later period.

From the wild grapevine, in the process of thousands of years of speciation and selection, the best forms were identified, and the grape assortment was created. The study, selection, and introduction into culture of the best forms of wild grapevine continues today.

Cultivated forms, unlike wild grapevine, have bisexual or functionally female flowers and are characterized by a variety of morphological traits of the leaf, cluster, berries, and seeds. However, they are characterized by a larger size of clusters and berries, dense pulp consistency, and a specific aroma.

Cultivated cultivars of Eurasian grapevine, just like wild grapevine forms, have low frost resistance, are severely affected by fungal diseases, and are damaged by phylloxera.

They are demanding of heat, react differently to soil conditions, and vary in drought and salt tolerance. Under the influence of ecological conditions and long-term artificial selection in the main regions of grape cultivation, a local assortment has formed with characteristic distinctive morphological, biological, and economic traits.

According to A. M. Negrul's classification, cultivars of cultivated Eurasian grapevine are divided into 3 ecological-geographical groups (convar or proles) based on their geographical distribution and biological characteristics:

• convar orientalis Negr. — Eastern;
• convar pontica Negr. — Black Sea basin;
• convar occidentalis Negr. — Western European.

In the 1970s, the Soviet ampelographer P. M. Gramotenko identified a fourth ecological-geographical group — North African cultivars — convar Nord-Africa Gram. Cultivars of each ecological-geographical group possess characteristic distinctive morphological traits and biological peculiarities.

Cultivars of the eastern group (convar. orientalis Negr.) are distributed in the USSR (Central Asian republics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, eastern regions of Georgia, Dagestan), Iran, Afghanistan, Middle Eastern countries, and Africa. Plants of these cultivars are short-day, with a long growing season and low frost resistance. Bushes are vigorous; they prefer large forms with a large supply of perennial wood and long pruning of fruit-bearing shoots.

The ecological-geographical classification of the grapevine species Vitis vinifera L. directly determines the vineyard management strategy. The choice of cultivar group sets requirements for bush training, shoot load, and protective measures. Depending on their origin, cultivars differ cardinally in yield, growth vigor, and frost resistance.

• Bunch weight of the eastern group — 0.4–3 kg
• Productivity of eastern cultivars — 20 t/ha
• Yield of Black Sea cultivars — 10–15 t/ha
• Fruit-bearing coefficient of western cultivars — 1–1.8

The eastern group of cultivars (convar. orientalis Negr.) is characterized by high productivity and large bunches. The leaves of these plants are glabrous or have bristly pubescence on the underside; flowers are hermaphroditic or functionally female. Berry flesh is usually juicy and crisp, and the seed has a characteristic long beak. Partial parthenocarpy (millerandage) is often observed in this group; it also includes seedless sultana (kishmish) varieties.

Eastern cultivars are divided into two key subgroups:

• subconvar caspica Negr. — ancient table and wine cultivars originating from Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Eastern Georgia. This includes Bayan Shirey, Soyaki, Terbash, Khindgony, Kuljinsky, Voskeat, Achabaz, and others.
• subconvar antasiatica Negr. — younger table and table-raisin cultivars with firm, crisp flesh, including Khusayne, Nimrang, Katta-Kurgan, Tayfi pink, Karaburnu, as well as seedless kishmish varieties.

Cultivars of the Black Sea basin (convar. pontica Negr.) are well adapted to temperate climate conditions. They are distributed in Moldova, Western Georgia, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, and Hungary. Plants have moderate growth vigor, a shortened growing season, and higher frost resistance compared to their eastern counterparts. Morphologically, this group is close to wild grapes; it contains both cultivars prone to millerandage and Corinthian currants with complete parthenocarpy.

Most Black Sea cultivars belong to the wine category (Rkatsiteli, Saperavi, Ojaleshi, Chinuri, Alexandrouli), but there are also wine-table cultivars, such as Chaush white, Shabash, and Galan.

Western European and North African cultivar groups

Western European group (convar. occidentalis Negr.) originated from local wild grapes and is the most numerous. It dominates vineyards in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, as well as in all grape-growing regions of our country. These are long-day cultivars with a short growing season. They possess the highest frost resistance among all European-Asian grapevines.

Bushes of Western European cultivars are characterized by low growth but have a high fruit-bearing coefficient — from 1 to 1.8. Here, there are on average 3–4 bunches per fruit-bearing shoot, although their average weight is small, totaling only 60–110 g.

The North African cultivar group (convar. Nord-Africa Gram.) represents the opposite of the Western European one. These table plants are characterized by a long growing season, late bud burst in spring, and late leaf fall in autumn.