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Preserving rare grapes is not just a matter of variety. Recent dna research has shown that unusual and unknown grape varieties provide clues to wine history. During the centuries, 525 Georgian grape varieties had been known but most of them were degenerated. Nowadays, more than 437 rare Georgian vine varieties are preserved in the geo 038 collection of Agricultural Research-Scientific Center, established in 2014 under the Environment Protection and agriculture ministry. Study of the genetic pool of Georgian grape varieties determine the sustainability of the sector and enrichment of the modern wine market. For this reason the studies of the rare aboriginal grape varieties have begun by their ampelography, phenology, chemical, and oeno-caprological characterizes. The aim of this study is to investigate rare, Georgian, aboriginal wine-grapes by their ampelography, chemical and oenolo-caprological characterizes, and to offer different style and aroma wines to the market, enriching the modern wine assortment. The present study investigated firstly the rare Georgian aboriginal grape variety (Chvitiluri) by its characterizes. In this study grapes caprologycal indication, dynamic development of the sugar accumulation, TA and pH in berries, polyphenols extract in skin and seeds, and phenolic compounds were determined. The grape has been compared with Georgian and French wine-grapes and their products as well. The results show that the grape variety - Chvitiluri, and vinification technique (aging on lee) have the significant impact on the total phenol content in wine. White varietal wine contents high alcohol 13,2%, total phenols 733-500mg/l. Wine has specific, varietal characterizes color, taste, aroma. This study indicates that the rare local, aboriginal variety presents the perspective sort for wine production and can be returned in wine production.

INTRODUCTION – Common limits for phenotyping are costs in terms of equipment, specialized researchers, and time. Moreover, phenotyping requires specific methods in relation to the studied traits, and each method is generally designed to highlight very specific characteristics of the singular trait. Thus, the obtained results are not easily comparable between different institutions. However the data sharing is clearly the most powerful approach to limit the costs and efforts optimizing the obtained results in term of number of studied accessions. It should be stressed that funds are another great limit in research, especially in East countries, where the most interesting cultivar variability is preserved. 28 AIMS AND SCOPES – The main purpose of this work is the establishment of a phenotyping network able to produce comparable data among the Pan-European grapevine collections. MATERIALS AND METHODS – Two protocols were proposed: one for phenology and, the other, for enocarpological traits. Data were recorded in two consecutive vintages: 2012 and 2013. Concerning phenology, the extended BBCH scale (universal and flexible) was adapted to our objects by moving it into a chrono- phenological scale. Then, a cubic curve was selected for modelling the phenological courses. Thus, computing for each accession specific coefficients, it was possible to obtain the relative phenograms. Considering the different site climatic conditions, it was possible to spatialize the results, obtaining reference phenological maps. Concerning eno- carpological traits, the attention was focused on characteristics with a clear impact on the production quality, such as berry morphology (weight, diameters, number of seeds …) and composition (sugar, titratable acidity, anthocyanin and phenolic contents …). The protocol was organized to concatenate the data acquisition, with the objective to generate new derived variables. The methods were selected to be easily reproduced in all the involved collections, without the necessity of expensive facilities. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS – The first year of dataset was used to evaluate the methods. Two publications are already available confirming the protocols quality. Concerning phenology, both the variability between accessions grown into the same collection and the phenological shifts between the reference varieties cultivated in different areas were highlighted by the protocol. Matching climatic and phenological information of reference cultivars, phenophases maps were obtained. The performances obtained by the eno-carpological protocol were satisfactory both in a global point of view and in a singular collection evaluation. The project obtained an impressive participation, considering the volunteer contribution without any material funding to cover the work costs. Twenty-four institutions collaborate to the data collection. 1724 accessions were evaluated: 931 (583 in 2012 and 348 in 2013) for phenology and 793 (424 in 2012 and 369 in 2013) for eno-carpological descriptions. CONCLUSIONS AND POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS – The protocol sharing allows the data comparison among different grapevine collections. The possible future application for this dataset could be related to scientific studies of genetic associations. Moreover, the improved knowledge of minor and neglected cultivars could have a direct impact on the industrial production, giving information concerning new varieties for future introduction in viticultural areas.

Georgian grapevine germplasm, which has formed for thousands of years, includes white, black, red, pink and grey 525 Vitis vinifera cultivars. In 2009–2014 up to 440 local grapevine varieties Vitis vinifera sativa has been restored. These varieties are cultivated in the LEPL Agriculture Scientific-Research Center grapevine collection GEO 038, Mtskheta Munisipal, village Jighaura, at an altitude 550 m. There are retrieved and recorded in the collection up to 60 forms of Vitis vinifera silvestris. In order to study biological and technological characteristics of Georgian grapevine, in 2012–2014 were investigated 50 Georgian widely cultivated white and colored wine and table grapes varieties, in the seven viticulture regions of Georgia. Description of grapevine varieties implemented through the descriptors for grapevine (IPGRI OIV). Botanical, biological-technological, qualitative and quantitative marks are characterized and evaluated. Investigation conducted during the biologic development phases were studied for chemical and eno-carpological characteristics.