Improvement of the red wine AOC Grignolino d’Asti typicality using some technological innovations

Biostimulants and biofertilizers are considered environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternatives to synthetic fertilizers, plant growth regulators and crop improvement products. Broadly, plant biostimulants are expected to improve nutrient use efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress, quality traits and availability of nutrients in the soil or rhizosphere. Currently, seaweed extracts account for more than 33% of the total plant biostimulant market. Within this category, Ascophyllum nodosum (AN), is the most widely studied and applied in biostimulant formulations.

The most recent methodological developments in soil survey and land evaluation, that can be taken as reference in the viticultural field, go over usage of the GIS and database. These informatic tools, which begin to be widely utilised, consent to realise evaluations at different geographic scale and with different data quality and quantity in entrance.

Current environmental, ecological and economic issues require a better vineyard production management. In fact, a poor use of fertilizing could lead to harmful impact on environment. Another issue concerns the cultures themselves which couldn’t use fertilizers efficiently, leading to a loss of income or too much expense for farmers. Presently, estimation of fertilization’s needs is realized by the laboratory analysis of leaves selected through a random sampling. The present study aims at optimizing fertilization’s management by using a map of biophysical parameters estimated from satellite images.

In partnership with a Bordeaux property wanting to improve the quality of its second wine, the effects of two factors, American oak barrels and mannoproteins were studied. Their impact on the attractiveness and sweetness of wines were characterized during two successive vintages (2012 and 2013). Vinification took place with a homogeneous batch of Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was then divided up into various groups of five barrels of French and American oak, new or reused. Analyses of volatile and non-volatile wood compounds were undertaken at four months and eight months of wood ageing, by LC-MS and GC-MS.

Context and purpose of the study. Conventional viticulture relies heavily on synthetic inputs (fertilizers, pesticides), as well as mechanization to manage pests, weeds, and diseases and maximize yields.