Terroir 2004 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Methodology to assess vine cultivation suitability using climatic ranges for key physiological processes: results for three South African regions

Methodology to assess vine cultivation suitability using climatic ranges for key physiological processes: results for three South African regions

Abstract

Le climat a de fortes implications sur le bon fonctionnement physiologique de la vigne et a besoin d’être quantifié afin de déterminer l’aptitude des régions à la culture de la vigne. Une méthode, qui pourrait éventuellement servir à prévoir l’aptitude des régions à la culture de la vigne, est proposée. Les seuils climatiques (température, vitesse du vent et humidité relative) pour les processus physiologiques (aussi bien photosynthèse des feuilles qu’accumulation des sucres et potassium et formation d’acide organique et respiration) ont été étudiés dans trois régions viticoles d’Afrique du Sud (Stellenbosch, Roberston et Upington) pendant les périodes de pré-et post-véraison. Sont considérés à la fois les seuils climatiques optimum et extrêmes. Une variation importante dans le nombre d’heures disponibles pour le fonctionnement physiologique optimal (selon les paramètres étudiés) apparait entre les régions. En considérant tous les facteurs, la région de Stellenbosch semblerait être la plus appropiée aux besoins physiologiques étudiés pour la culture de la vigne.

Climate has serious implications on proper physiological functioning of grapevines and needs to be quantified in order to determine the vine cultivation suitability of grape growing regions. Methodology is proposed that may eventually be used to predict the suitability of regions/terroirs for grapevine cultivation. Climatic ranges of temperature, wind speed and relative humidity for key physiological processes (photosynthesis of the leaves as well as sugar and potassium accumulation, organic acid formation and respiration, and colour and flavour development in the grapes) were studied in three wine producing regions of South Africa (Stellenbosch, Robertson and Upington) during the pre- and post-véraison growth periods. Both optimum and extreme climatic ranges were considered. Marked variation in the number of hours available for optimal physiological functioning (according to the parameters studied) occurred between the regions. All factors considered, the Stellenbosch region would seem to be best suited to the studied physiological requirements for grapevine cultivation.

DOI:

Publication date: January 12, 2022

Issue: Terroir 2004

Type: Article

Authors

J.J. Hunter (1) and V. Bonnardot (2)

1) Infruitec/Nietvoorbij-Institute for Fruit, Vine and Wine of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Private Bag X5026, 7599 Stellenbosch, South Africa
2) ARC-Institute for Soil, Climate and Water (ISCW), Private Bag X5026, 7599 Stellenbosch, South Africa

Contact the author

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2004

Citation

Related articles…

New satellite-based sampling protocols for grapevine nutrient monitoring

Extension specialists often recommend nutrient monitoring through leaf blade or petiole sampling twice a season for each vineyard block. However, due to the time and labor required to collect a large, random sample, many growers complete the task infrequently or incorrectly. Readily available remote sensing images capture the vineyard variability at both spatial and temporal scales, which can capture canopy and soil variability and be used to guide growers to representative sampling locations.

NOVEL BENZENETHIOLS WITH PHENOLS CAUSE ASHY, SMOKE FLAVOR PERCEPTION IN RED WINES

Smoke impacts on wines are becoming a worldwide problem; the size and severity of wildfires increasing due to influences from changing climates.¹ For over a century, wines have been known to have a unique issue of absorbing chemical compounds derived from wildfire smoke wherein the flavor of the subsequent wine becomes ashy, rubbery, campfire-like, and smoky.² The economic impacts of a smoke-impacted wine can last for years depending on the grape varietal, costing Oregon and Washington states in the United States over a billion dollars from the 2020 wildfires, as an example.³ While years of research have indicated elevated concentrations of smoke-related compounds, such as guaiacol and syringol, in wines after smoke events, unfortunately, replicating the sensory experience using smoke-associated phenols has not had much success.⁴

Vignobles sur les pentes en Bourgogne : l’aube d’un nouveau modèle de l’Antiquité au Moyen Âge

La découverte d’une vigne gallo-romaine en plaine à Gevrey-Chambertin (Côte-d’Or) constitue un point important pour la compréhension de la construction des terroirs viticoles de Bourgogne. Sa situation en plaine constitue pour nous le point de départ d’une large réflexion sur la mise en place du modèle de viticulture de coteau qui prévaut en Bourgogne et sur les facteurs de ce changement de norme de qualité viticole. Les sources mobilisées pour cette approche interdisciplinaire et diachronique sont géomorphologiques, archéologiques et textuelles.

Egg allergens in wine. Validation of a new automated method for ovalbumin quantification

Ovalbumin (ova), a natural clarifying protein, is particularly suitable for clarifying red wines. It helps improve the tannic and polyphenolic stability of the wine by removing the most astringent tannins and contributing to soften and refine the structure. Ova binds to suspended particles, proteins, polysaccharides, and, to a lesser extent, tannins through electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, forming large complexes that can be removed from the wine through fining and/or filtration before bottling.

Market entry strategies in the U.S. alcohol distribution: The case of French wine exporters

This study examines the different strategies adopted by wine exporters located in France for penetrating international alcohol distribution networks in the U.S. market (and to a lesser extent the Canadian market). Grounded in the Business-to-Business (B2B) marketing literature (Ellegaard and Medlin, 2018), this study adopts a framework integrating a ‘Stakeholder’ approach for understanding the logics behind exporters’ strategies to penetrate the alcohol distribution networks (wholesalers, importers, alcohol monopolies).