Viticulture and enology in the Dominican Republic: situation, limitations, and possibilities

Abstract

Commercial grapes were introduced in the 1490s and early 1500s in what is today the Dominican Republic. Since then, grapes of Spanish origin and rudimentary wines have been produced in the country. In spite of excellent soils and climate for grape production in the Western part of the country, grapes have not become a major crop, and the area under commercial grape production is about 300 ha nationwide. In the past, social and historic factors have limited the expansion of viticulture and enology in the Dominican Republic. Since the 1980s, the consumption of grape and wine in the Dominican Republic has been increasing. Sustained research on breeding, cultivar evaluation, plant growth regulators, irrigation efficiency, and fertilization may improve the yield and profitability of grapes under Dominican conditions. Most of the wine consumed in the Dominican Republic is imported, but local wine production could vastly enhance the adoption of cultivars more adequate for wine as opposed to cultivars for table grapes, increasing quality control in the winemaking process, and modernizing winery facilities.