The Sächsische Staatsweingut Schloss Wackerbarth is testing two fungus-resistant grape varieties in the local climate. On a 1.4-hectare vineyard in Weinböhla on Monday, a GPS-controlled planting machine planted 4,000 flowering Muscat and 1,500 Merlot Khorus young vines in the ground with pinpoint accuracy - within just a few hours. The winegrowers also want to determine their potential for future viticulture in the Elbe Valley.
Blütenmuskateller, a cross between the Severnyj and Muscat Blanc varieties, was created in 1947 and is already cultivated in Austria and elsewhere, said Wackerbarth spokesman Martin Junge. It sprouts late and is less susceptible to late frosts. The new Merlot Khorus variety is also "very resistant to frost" and is occasionally cultivated in Ticino in Switzerland.
