Amino acid levels and phenolic biosynthesis in skin and pulp of grape berries during ripening

We have accomplished all of the objectives we proposed for the 2008 work. We studied Merlot at a site we sampled in 2007 and found substantially the same results in both years. Fruit from Merlot on 1103-P had 1.7 times as much total amino acids as fruit from 101-14. This result held for Merlot from a second site at Oakville, but not in Merlot from a rootstock trial in Washington. In studying other varieties we found that in some cases (Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot noir) there was a similar effect as seen in Merlot from Oakville, but in other cases the effect was not observed (Monterey Chardonnay) or even reversed (Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington Chardonnay and Syrah). Our work with Pinot noir from Edna Valley and Sauvignon blanc from Monterey demonstrated that these arginine accumulators can show the same effect as was observed in the proline accumulator Merlot.