This week we are excited to share with you two of the most promising new additions to the ARRA™ range: the early-mid red ARRA 79B-44+1 and the mid-season white ARRA 93B-35+7.
From the very beginning, this beautiful variety showed great potential due to its fiery color, berry size and elongated shape. ARRA 79B-44+1 is crunchy and sweet, gives a good yield and is easy to grow. Naturally, this variety is the ideal continuation of ARRA Passion Fire™ (ARRA 29).
The feedback received so far has been exceptional. Karl Conrads, Grapasa CEO and ARRA Agent in South America was the first to see the potential of this variety during the very early stages of evaluation. Karl describes the variety: “ARRA 79B-44 + 1 has scored 100 out of 100 in all its evaluation steps. It is a variety with a very attractive red color, with crunchy berries and 24 mm caliber, early harvest, ripening soon after ARRA Passion Fire™ (ARRA 29)”.
Karl continues:” It is considered one of the best red varieties developed so far by the ARRA program. This variety will begin to be commercialized in Chile during the next few years and producers are already reserving plants for when they will be available in Chile”
In Brazil, ARRA 79B-44+1 reached an advanced stage in the evaluation process. Russaika Nascimento, ARRA Agronomist in Brazil says: “During the different stages of evaluation, the productive and organoleptic qualities of ARRA 79B-44+1 proved resistance to rain in both exposed and covered fields. This is an essential characteristic for growing grapes in Brazil”.
Russaika adds: “It has great productivity reaching 26 tons per hectare and an intense ruby red color”.
Mimi Corsaro, VP Marketing & Director of Export Sales at Giumarra Vineyards Corporation, says in the above video:” I am really excited about ARRA 79B-44+1 having production. This will be a game-changer, especially in the Asian market. We needed to find a replacement for the Scarlet Royal due to its high astringency and the ARRA 79B-44+1 is sweet, crunchy, has a good berry size and a brilliant color so, it will be a really good choice for export”.
It’s hard to compete with this excellent white mid-season selection with a sweet/acid balance and a delicate Muscat flavor. Of course its high yield, optimal bunch formation, elongated and attractive berry are impressive but above all, its supreme eating experience. To top it off, this selection’s shiny appearance is maintained throughout storage and shipping, reaching the markets unblemished without cracks or shattering.
When thinking about white, sweet/acid with a delicate Muscat flavor grape, immediately the senses become sharpened in anticipation of something special and ARRA 93B-35+7 meets all expectations, delivering a unique tasting experience.
What strikes us most about this strong ARRA selection is that not much work was needed during the large scale trial at Giumarra vineyards and the results were amazing; a beautifully preserved crop with no scarring, browning, or physical defects.
Randy Giumarra, VP Sales at Giumarra Vineyards Corporation says: “This variety is beautiful and although we did not have any commercial production yet, the many trials we ran, only showed positive results, especially in relation to the prolonged shelf life this variety can endure. Moreover, we observed no signs of discoloration after being in cold storage for an extended period of time, and this is something very unique for this category grape “. Randy concludes: “I think this will be a big hit!”.
Don’t miss out on these other newsletters:
We have a crush on this intense cherry-colour variety with its large, elongated, berries. This mid-late variety that boasts excellent sugar-acid balance, cherry flavour and sensational crunch, delights in appearance, taste and eating experience. Proven to be fully rain resistant, the variety also has excellent fertility and exceptional storage ability. It is the ultimate long shipping variety with the best shelf life in the industry.
ARRA CHERRY CRUSH™ literally has it all!
In short: THE ULTIMATE RED.
This established early red variety boasts a beautiful, natural, full red colour. It’s large, crunchy berries offer a fantastic eating quality. Good productivity, extraordinary hanging ability, shipping durability and shelf life, make it a choice early red.
The earliest existing red variety in the market ripens naturally 4-5 days before Flame. The advantageous short cycle, natural full red colour, together with large, sweet, crunchy berries make this a perfect Flame replacement. ARRA Fire Kiss has proven to be very fertile and grower friendly, as well as bearing great post-harvest and shipping qualities.