The Year That Was—An analysis of 2010 Finger Lakes grapes

Sugar and TA levels based on Fall Bright’s vineyard data

By Dale Ims

I previously presented some data about Finger Lakes grapes which I obtained from the Fall Bright website, www.fallbright.com (see An analysis of Finger Lakes Grapes—Sugar and TA Levels 2001-2009). What I tried to do there was to utilize the archived data available on that site to do some quantitative comparisons of sugar contents and titratable acidities (TA) between and among several different varieties of grapes and from year-to-year. In that earlier article, we looked at the long-term averages (years 2001–2009) of sugar content and TA for each of 14 different grape varieties (nine white and five red) and also did year-over-year comparisons by averaging all the reported values for each crop year. The results were then illustrated in charts, and an updated version of one of those charts with this year’s data added is shown here.

Average Sugar and TA Levels by Vintage (All Varieties), 2001-2010:

As summer turned to fall, we heard the predictions about the quality of the ’10 crop, and then we probably saw evidence of that in the properties of the grapes and/or juices that we got this year. However, it’s comforting to me to see the actual numbers and how they compare to previous years. The chart shows that what I’ve termed the season-average sugar content was the highest—and the season-average TA the lowest—that we have seen over the 10-year period for which there is data available! In fact, average sugar content for the 14 varieties was 19.7% for the 2010 crop year—almost a full percentage point higher than the previous high value in our data set (2001). In addition, the average TA value was 7.8g/l, the lowest during the 10-year period, but only 0.5g/l lower than the previous low year of 2002.

Of course, it only makes sense to celebrate record highs and lows if they’re not too high or low! Given my own wine-style preferences—and from the raw data on the 14 varieties—I would say that six or seven of the juices would have required little or no adjustment in the sugar content (Brix ≥ 21), and that eight or nine of the juices would require little or no adjustment in TA (TA ≤ 7.5g/l). In fact, a few of the juices might have benefited from the addition of a bit of acid.

Quite an improvement over 2009!!