Enhance Economic Opportunities for Agricultural Producers

Alternative Crops: Developing Wine Grape Varieties Adapted to Nevada's Climate

Issue (Who cares and why?)
      Nevada’s arid climate makes it hard for farmers to grow non-native crops. Many farmers in the state rely on alfalfa as their main crop. While alfalfa grows well in Nevada, it uses about 3.5 acre-feet of water per acre each season. That is, more than 1.1 million gallons of water for 1 acre of alfalfa. Nevada’s farmers need a crop that grows as reliably as alfalfa, but uses less of the state’s limited water supply. Researchers know that wine grapes use little water, but overcoming the challenges of Nevada’s harsh climate needed some serious help.

What has been done?
      Over the past eight years, the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) has established experimental vineyards in Reno, Minden/Gardnerville, Fernley, Fallon, and Yerington, Nevada to test regional micro-climates effects on grapes. UNR is using several different approaches to developing more stress tolerant wine grape (Vitis vinifera) plants including: adapting cultural practices; selecting for more tolerant plant cells; making hybrids of V. vinifera with more tolerant native North American species; and using genetic engineering technology to develop more hardy genotypes. In the summer of 2003, the University constructed a research winery at the Valley Road field station. In 2004, the Valley Road Winery opened its doors to the public, offering tastings of 10 varieties grown and produced at the facility.

Impact
      The initial success of the UNR vineyard has generated considerable interest in nearby areas. Northern Nevada can produce excellent quality wines. The sugar to acid ratio of the grape musts for many of the varieties reached the optimum quality value of 30, says Jason Evans a UNR biochemist and a wine aficionado. This past year UNR opened it doors to Northern Nevada’s wine tasting community. “The response was overwhelming with more than 250 in attendance our first day”, claimed Jean Carbon a development officer at UNR. Fran Healy a self proclaimed wine expert, while attending the Reno/Tahoe Wine, Food and Jazz Festival, sampled her first glass of Nevada wine. She said, “I really enjoy a good sweet wine that is unique while adhering to traditional expectations, the Gewürztraminer won hands down. I could see this as a Reno boutique wine.” Dr. Grant Cramer the lead scientist on the projects likes to point out that “The net profit on an acre of alfalfa is about $300, the net profit on a one-acre vineyard in Grand Junction, Colo., is $5,000.”

Contact
Grant Cramer
Dept. of Biochemistry/330
University of Nevada
Reno, Nevada 89557
cramer@unr.edu