Terroir 2004 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Climatic zoning of viticultural production periods over the year in the tropical zone: application of the methodology of the Géoviticulture MCC system

Climatic zoning of viticultural production periods over the year in the tropical zone: application of the methodology of the Géoviticulture MCC system

Abstract

L’objectif de cette recherche est le zonage climatique des périodes viticoles de l’année dans la Vallée du São Francisco, région brésilienne productrice de vins située en climat tropical semi-aride. Dans cette région, la production peut être échelonnée sur tous les mois de l’année. La région est placée sur climat viticole à variabilité intra-annuelle, qui correspond aux régions qui, sur des conditions climatiques naturelles, changent de classe de climat viticole en fonction de la période de l’année au cours de laquelle le raisin peut être produit. La méthodologie adoptée est celle du Système de Classification Climatique Multicritères Géoviticole (Système CCM Géoviticole) (Tonietto & Carbonneau, 2004), en utilisant les fonctionnalités de modulation des indices (indices homologues appliqués sur la phénologie locale des cépages). Les indices climatiques viticoles du Système (thermique, nycthermique et hydrique) ont été adaptés aux conditions biologiques du cépage Syrah de la région, qui présente un cycle moyen débourrement-récolte (d-r) de 4 mois. L’étude utilise une base de données climatiques journalières de la période 1976-2002, avec la simulation de 36 récoltes théoriques par an (une récolte théorique a chaque décade), soit un totale de 972 sur l’ensemble de la période étudiée. Ainsi, l’Indice Héliothermique (IH12d) à été calculé sur 4 mois tout au long de l’année. L’Indice de Fraîcheur des Nuits (IF3d) a été calculé sur les 3 décades précédentes la date théorique de récolte (période de maturation). La quantité de pluie en période de maturation (P3d) a également été prise en compte en fonction des effets sur l’incidence de pourriture. Les résultats ont permis de caractériser 3 périodes climatiques viticoles distincts dans l’année : Période “a” – conditions thermiques moins chaudes pendant le cycle d-r pour l’IH12d, conditions nycthermiques (IF3d) plus fraîches et très sec (P3d) en période de maturation ; Période “b” – climat intermédiaire entre la période “a” et “c” pour l’IF3d et l’IH12d et sec à très sec pour P3d (la période “b” peut être subdivisée en 2 sous-périodes : l’une que s’initie en sortant de la période chaude et humide “c”, avec une réserve hydrique utile au niveau du sol, et évolue avec la chute des températures ; et l’autre sous-période qui débute avec l’augmentation des températures et que finie juste avant la rentrée de la période humide “c”) ; Période “c” – Le plus chaud pour l’IF3d et l’IH12d et sub-humide pour P3d. Les résultats montrent que la production de raisin de cuve pour un même cépage présente des caractéristiques potentielles distinctes en fonction des périodes de production “a”, “b” et “c”. D’une façon générale, la période “c” est la plus susceptible a une maturité du raisin incomplète en fonction du risque de pourriture (pluie et température élevée), qui peuvent amener à une récolte avant la complète maturation du raisin. Déjà les périodes “a” et “b” sont les plus aptes a une bonne maturation du raisin. La période “a” est celle qui présente le moindre risque de pluie et des températures les plus fraîches, avec la possibilité du contrôle total de la disponibilité hydrique du sol par l’irrigation. La probabilité d’occurrence des indices climatiques à été caractérisé par décade et par quartile comme information d’aide à la décision (risque ou avantages) des périodes de production. Des études complémentaires, notamment l’estimation de la réserve hydrique potentielle (Indice de Sécheresse – IS) du sol seront développées. On peut conclure que le concept de climat viticole à variabilité intra-annuelle du Système CCM Géoviticole peut être utilisé comme élément de zonage pour l’établissement, dans un même vignoble, des périodes de l’année avec un potentiel climatique supérieur de production de raisin de cuve. Ce critère climatique va être utilisé dans le zonage intégré de la région, notamment avec les facteurs édaphiques.

The objective of this research is the viticultural climatic zoning of the production periods over the year in the São Francisco Valley, a Brazilian grape-growing region located in semi-arid tropical climate. In this region, the production can be spread over all months of the year. The region is situated in climate with intra-annual variability, that corresponds to the regions which, under natural climatic conditions, change the class of viticultural climate according to the period of the year during which the grape is produced. The methodology adopted is that of the Géoviticulture Multicriteria Climatic Classification System (Géoviticulture MCC System) (Tonietto & Carbonneau, 2004), employing the modulation functions of the indices. The viticultural climatic indices of the System have been adapted to the biological conditions of the Syrah variety, which has an average cycle of 4 months from bud burst to harvest (d-r) in the region. The study is based on a daily climate database from 1976 through 2002, simulating 36 theoretic harvests per year (one theoretic harvest at every ten 10 days), amounting to a total of 972 harvests in the whole period covered by the study. In this way, the Heliothermal Index (HI12d) was calculated over 4 months throughout the year. The Cool Night Index (IF3d) was calculated over the 30 days that preceded the theoretic harvest (maturation period). The amount of rain (P3d) in the maturation period was equally been taken into account according to the potential effect of the incidence of bunch rotting. The results have allowed to distinguish 3 climatic viticultural periods during the year: Period “a” – less warm during d-r cycle (IH12d) and for night temperatures (IF3d) and very dry (P3d); Period “b” – intermediate climate between “a” and “c” period for IF3d and IH12d and dry to very dry for P3d (the period “b” can be subdivided into 2 sub-periods: one which starts with the end of the warm and sub-humid period “c”, with a useful water reserve of the soil, and evolves with the fall of the temperatures, and another which starts with the increase of the temperatures and finishes before the sub-humid period “c” returns); Period “c” – the warmest for the IH12d and IF3d, and sub-humid for P3d. The obtained results allow defining the periods “a” and “b”, even with different climatic viticultural potential, as being the most favorable for the production of grapes for wine. The probability of occurrence of the values of the climatic indices (climatic risk or advantages) was characterized at a ten-day level throughout the year. Other index to complement the study will be included, especially the potential water balance of the soil (dryness index – IS). It can be concluded that the concept of the viticultural climate with intra-annual variability of the Géovitivulture MCC System can be used as a zoning element for establishing, in the same vineyard, periods of the year with a higher climatic potential for the production of quality grapes for wine. This climatic criterion will be used in the integrated zoning of the region, especially with the edaphic factors.

Download the PDF

DOI:

Publication date: January 12, 2022

Issue: Terroir 2004

Type: Article

Authors

J. Tonietto (1) and A.H. de C. Teixeira (2)

(1) Embrapa – Centre National de Recherche de la Vigne et du Vin – Cnpuv, Rua Livramento, 515 ; 95700-000 – Bento Gonçalves, Brésil
(2) Embrapa – Centre de Recherche du Tropique Semi-Aride – Cpatsa

Contact the author

; 

Keywords

Tropical, intertropical, vin, raisin, qualité, climat avec variabilité intra-annuelle, zonage climatique, Système CCM Géoviticole 

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2004

Citation

Related articles…

Different soil types and relief influence the quality of Merlot grapes in a relatively small area in the Vipava Valley (Slovenia) in relation to the vine water status

Besides location and microclimatic conditions, soil plays an important role in the quality of grapes and wine. Soil properties influence…

Read More

Climate and the evolving mix of grape varieties in Australia’s wine regions

The purpose of this study is to examine the changing mix of winegrape varieties in Australia so as to address the question: In the light of key climate indicators and predictions of further climate change, how appropriate are the grape varieties currently planted in Australia’s wine regions? To achieve this, regions are classified into zones according to each region’s climate variables, particularly average growing season temperature (GST), leaving aside within-region variations in climates. Five different climatic classifications are reported. Using projections of GSTs for the mid- and late 21st century, the extent to which each region is projected to move from its current zone classification to a warmer one is reported. Also shown is the changing proportion of each of 21 key varieties grown in a GST zone considered to be optimal for premium winegrape production. Together these indicators strengthen earlier suggestions that the mix of varieties may be currently less than ideal in many Australian wine regions, and would become even less so in coming decades if that mix was not altered in the anticipation of climate change. That is, grape varieties in many (especially the warmest) regions will have to keep changing, or wineries will have to seek fruit from higher latitudes or elevations if they wish to retain their current mix of varieties and wine styles.

Read More

Impact of geographical location on the phenolic profile of minority varieties grown in Spain. II: red grapevines

Because terroir and cultivar are drivers of wine quality, is essential to investigate theirs effects on polyphenolic profile before promoting the implantation of a red minority variety in a specific area. This work, included in MINORVIN project, focuses in the polyphenolic profile of 7 red grapevines minority varieties of Vitis vinifera L. (Morate, Sanguina, Santafe, Terriza Tinta Jeromo Tortozona Tinta) and Tempranillo) from six typical viticulture Spanish areas: Aragón (A1), Cataluña (A2), Castilla la Mancha (A3), Castilla –León (A4), Madrid (A5) and Navarra (A6) of 2020 season. Polyphenolic substances were extracted from grapes. 35 compounds were identified and quantified (mg subtance/kg fresh berry) by HPLC and grouped in anthocyanins (ANT) flavanols (FLAVA), flavonols (FLAVO), hydroxycinnamic (AH), benzoic (BA) acids and stilbenes (ST). Antioxidant activity (AA, mmol TE /g fresh berry) was determined by DPPH method. The results were submitted to a two-way ANOVA to investigate the influence of variety, area and their interaction for each polyphenolic family and cluster analysis was used to construct hierarchical dendrograms, searching the natural groupings among the samples. Sanguina (A3) had the most of total polyphenols while Tempranillo (A5) those of ANT. Sanguina (A2) and (A3) reached the highest values of FLAVO, FLAVA and AA. These two last samples had also the maximum of AA. The effect cultivar and area were significant for all polyphenolic families analyzed. A high variability due to variety (>50%) was observed in FLAVA and the maximum value of variability due to growing area was detected in AA (86.41%), ANT and FLAVO (51%); the interaction variety*zone was significant only for ANT, FLAVO, EST and AA. Finally, dendrograms presented five cluster: i) Sanguina (A2); ii) Sanguina (A3); iii) Tempranillo (A5); iv) Tempranillo (A3); Terriza (A3,A5), Morate (A5,A6); v) Santafé (A1,A6); Tortozona tinta (A1,A3,A6); Tinta Jeromo (A3,A4).

Read More

Combining effect of leaf removal and natural shading on grape ripening under two irrigation strategies in Manto negro (Vitis vinifera L.)

The increasingly frequent heat waves during grape ripening pose challenges for high quality wine grape production. Defoliation is a common practice that can improve the control of diseases in bunches, but also it increases the exposure to sunlight. Grapes exposed to solar radiation reach temperatures over the optimum for berry development and maturation. This makes the development of irrigation and canopy management techniques of great importance to maximize yield and grape quality. A field experiment was carried out during 2021 using Manto negro wine grapes to study the effect of applied irrigation and different light exposure levels on grape quality. Two irrigation treatments were imposed based on the frequency and amount of water doses in a four-block experimental vineyard at Bodega Ribas (Mallorca). Three light exposure treatments were randomly applied in each irrigation plot. The light treatments included exposed clusters from pea size, non-exposed clusters, and shaded clusters after softening. Leaf area index and canopy porosity was estimated every 2 weeks. Midday leaf water potential was measured weekly. Additionally, apparent electrical conductivity was measured between rows to estimate the soil water content variability. Light and temperature sensors were installed at the bunch level to quantify the differences in bunch temperature and light intensity among treatments. The effect of irrigation and cluster light exposure on berry weight, TSS, TA, malic acid, tartaric acid, K+, and pH were analysed at 5 moments along grape ripening. During different heat waves, the natural shading technique decreased the maximum bunch temperature around 10 °C respect to the exposed bunches in both irrigation strategies. The combination of defoliation and shading techniques after softening decreased TSS at harvest and affected most of the quality parameters during the last stages of ripening, showing an interesting technique to delay ripening in warm viticulture areas.

Read More

Adapting the vineyard to climate change in warm climate regions with cultural practices

Since the 1980s global regime shift, grape growers have been steadily adapting to a changing climate. These adaptations have preserved the region-climate-cultivar rapports that have established the global trade of wine with lucrative economic benefits since the middle of 17th century. The advent of using fractions of crop and actual evapotranspiration replacement in vineyards with the use of supplemental irrigation has furthered the adaptation of wine grape cultivation. The shift in trellis systems, as well as pruning methods from positioned shoot systems to sprawling canopies, as well as adapting the bearing surface from head-trained, cane-pruned to cordon-trained, spur-pruned systems have also aided in the adaptation of grapevine to warmer temperatures. In warm climates, the use of shade cloth or over-head shade films not only have aided in arresting the damage of heat waves, but also identified opportunities to reduce the evapotranspiration from vineyards, reducing environmental footprint of vineyard. Our increase in knowledge on how best to understand the response of grapevine to climate change was aided with the identification of solar radiation exposure biomarker that is now used for phenotyping cultivars in their adaptability to harsh environments. Using fruit-based metrics such as sugar-flavonoid relationships were shown to be better indicators of losses in berry integrity associated with a warming climate, rather than solely focusing on region-climate-cultivar rapports. The resilience of wine grape was further enhanced by exploitation of rootstock × scion combinations that can resist untoward droughts and warm temperatures by making more resilient grapevine combinations. Our understanding of soil-plant-atmosphere continuum in the vineyard has increased within the last 50 years in such a manner that growers are able to use no-till systems with the aid of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi inoculation with permanent cover cropping making the vineyard more resilient to droughts and heat waves. In premium wine grape regions viticulture has successfully adapted to a rapidly changing climate thus far, but berry based metrics are raising a concern that we may be approaching a tipping point.

Read More