Terroir 2004 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 The use of remote sensing in South-African terroir research

The use of remote sensing in South-African terroir research

Abstract

The diversity of soil types in the Western Cape of South Africa leads to high levels of within-vineyard variability. Multispectral remote sensing has received a lot of attention recently in the South-African wine industry in an attempt to identify and deal with this variability. While this technology holds promise for precision vineyard management as well as segmented harvesting of grapes, its potential as a tool in research has not yet been fully utilised. It holds promise as a tool to study the interaction of the grapevine with its environment, especially with regards to differences in vine performance due to soil variability. One of the most important goals of this research is to determine how the information derived from the vegetation indices used in the imaging relates to grapevine performance. Another objective is to assess the effects of practices that could differ between vineyards, such as trellis systems or canopy management on the image signal.
In a terroir study, aerial images were used to optimise plot layouts in the vineyards at different localities according to vineyard characteristics. Factors limiting or enhancing vine vigour were investigated using multispectral images. The use of hyperspectral satellite imagery from the Hyperion imager was also investigated as an additional tool to monitor the effects of the environment on the performance of the grapevine.
Terroir research focuses on identifying homogenous environmental units that have a specific viticultural and oenological potential. It is deemed necessary to investigate the “building blocks” of these “homogenous” units, which may encompass high levels of variability, in order to adapt them to a micro-scale for application on a vineyard level. Closer investigation of these “micro” terrroirs that exist within vineyards may enable us to utilise the full potential of our diverse natural environment.

Download the PDF

DOI:

Publication date: January 12, 2022

Issue: Terroir 2004

Type: Article

Authors

A.E. Strever

Department of Viticulture and Oenology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, 7602 Matieland, South Africa

Contact the author

Keywords

Vine, Vitis vinifera L., remote sensing, high resolution, intrablock management, vineyard leaf area, NDVI

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2004

Citation

Related articles…

Riesling aroma composition in light of changing global temperatures – delving into the effects of warmer nights on the volatile profile of riesling grapes

Climate is a key parameter when the modulation of berry and subsequent wine composition is considered. Recent decades have already seen an increase in global surface temperatures

Read More

Generation of radicals in wine by cavitation and study of their interaction with metals, phenols and carboxylic acids

High-power ultrasounds have been related to an accelerated aging of wines, an effect that has been associated to the formation of radical species caused by the cavitation phenomenon [1]. This phenomenon consists of the formation of bubbles in the liquid medium that, when they collapse, cause high-pressure hot spots and temperatures of up to 4800 k [2], notably increasing the reactivity in the medium.

Read More

What drives Indications of Geographical Origin protection and governance mechanisms in the U.S. and European contexts? A contribution of the social sciences

There are fundamentally two different ways in which indications of geographical origin (igos) can be protected. The us approach favors the pre-existing trademark system through collective marks (cms), while the eu approach favors a maximalist approach via a sui generis system which promotes appellations of origin (aos). A consensus however emerges regarding the fundamental protection of origin against misleading, confusing and dilutive uses. Previous literature discusses these competing igo logics from historical, legal and international trade perspectives. In this paper, we depart from the field of social sciences, in particular from recent advancements in the well-established literature on proximities, in order to provide a reflection on the different logics underpinning the aos and cms systems.

Read More

Monitoring the tawny port wine aging process using precision enology

AIM: Tawny Port wine is produced in the Douro Demarcated Region by blending several fortified wines in different aging stages. During the aging process in small wood barrels, the red wine color progressively develops into tawny, medium tawny, or light tawny.

Read More

Timing of leaf removal effects on vitis vinifera L. Cv. Grenache differed on two contrasting seasons

Warming trends over the winegrowing regions lead to an advance of grapevine phenology, diminution of yield and increased sugar content and must pH with a lower polyphenol content, especially anthocyanins. Canopy management practices are applied to control the source sink balance and improve the cluster microclimate to enhance berry composition. We hyphothesized that an early leaf removal might promote a delayed ripening through severe defoliation after fruitset; whereas, a late leaf removal at mid-ripening would reduce sugar accumulation.

Read More