Terroir 1996 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 “Garrigues”, part of the mediterranean vine terroirs

“Garrigues”, part of the mediterranean vine terroirs

Abstract

[English version below]

Les paysages viticoles méditerranéens présentent une originalité qui ne se retrouve nulle part ailleurs : ils associent des garrigues très odoriférantes à des parcelles de vignes souvent qualitatives. La connaissance empirique des vins du Languedoc par leurs dégustateurs a conduit la Chambre d’Agriculture de l’Hérault à supposer que les arômes de la garrigue environnante peuvent se retrouver dans les vins (arômes de ciste, de genévrier, … ) Grâce à la collaboration d’une cave coopérative héraultaise, des essais ont été mis en place pour vérifier cette hypothèse. Ils comportent une première partie expérimentale, débutée en 2000, basée sur la comparaison d’échantillons de vins de Grenache, provenant de mini­ récoltes (50 kg) de parcelles très contrastées de par leur environnement de garrigue. La seconde partie des essais a débuté en 2001 et consiste en une sélection parcellaire au terroir de parcelles de grenache qualitatives entourées de garrigues et entourées de vignes (5 ha par lot environ.) Chaque lot est vinifié séparément par la cave coopérative. Les premiers résultats de dégustation sont très encourageants. Ils montrent que les spécificités de l’environnement naturel des vignes méditerranéennes pourront probablement être valorisées à terme par l’élaboration de vins originaux et difficilement imitables sur le marché.

The mediterranean viticultural landscapes are made of original patterns of qualitative vineyards alterning with odorous garrigues. Some connoisseurs of the Languedoc wines noted typical aromas of garrigue plants in the wines made from the most isolated vineyards. The Hérault Chamber of Agriculture decided to study whether these assumptions can be validated or not, in order to valorize the regional typicity of these wines. Two experiments were made on the vineyard of a partner wine coop. The first one, started in 2000, compares two samples of grenache wines made from vinifications of about 50 kg of grapes, each plot being located in contrasted places (one bordered by garrigues and one by vines). The second one started in 2001 and consists in the wine- making from a selection of about 10 ha of qualitative vines of grenache, 5 ha among garrigues and 5 ha among other vines. The first winetastings are very promising. They show that one must consider the wild environment as a whole part of the vine terroir definition, on the understanding that the potentiality of a terroir can only be expressed by vines technically perfect.

DOI:

Publication date: February 15, 2022

Issue: Terroir 2002

Type: Article

Authors

William TRAMBOUZE (1), Jean-Pierre ARGILLIER (2), Nathalie GOMA-FORTIN (1)

(1) Chambre d’agriculture de l’Hérault, BP 83, allée du Géreral Montagne, 34120 Pézenas
(2) Chambre d’agriculture de l’Hérault, Maison des agriculteurs, Mas de Saporta, 34970 Lattes

Contact the author

Keywords

terroir viticole, garrigue, sélection parcellaire, typicité du vin
vine terroir, garrigue, vineyard selection, wine typicity

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2002

Citation

Related articles…

Anthocyanin profile is differentially affected by high temperature, elevated CO2 and water deficit in Tempranillo (Vitis vinifera L.) clones

Anthocyanin potential of grape berries is an important quality factor in wine production. Anthocyanin concentration and profile differ among varieties but it also depends on the environmental conditions, which are expected to be greatly modified by climate change in the future. These modifications may significantly modify the biochemical composition of berries at harvest, and thus wine typicity. Among the diverse approaches proposed to reduce the potential negative effects that climate change may have on grape quality, genetic diversity among clones can represent a source of potential candidates to select better adapted plant material for future climatic conditions. The effects of individual and combined factors associated to climate change (increase of temperature, rise of air CO2 concentration and water deficit) on the anthocyanin profile of different clones of Tempranillo that differ in the length of their reproductive cycle were studied. The aim was to highlight those clones more adapted to maintain specific Tempranillo typicity in the future. Fruit-bearing cuttings were grown in controlled conditions under two temperatures (ambient temperature versus ambient temperature + 4ºC), two CO2 levels (400 ppm versus 700 ppm) and two water regimes (well-watered versus water deficit), both in combination or independently, in order to simulate future climate change scenarios. Elevated temperature increased anthocyanin acylation, whereas elevated CO2 and water deficit favoured the accumulation of malvidin derivatives, as well as the acylation and tri-hydroxylation level of anthocyanins. Although the changes in anthocyanin profile observed followed a common pattern among clones, such impact of environmental conditions was especially noticeable in one of the most widely distributed Tempranillo clones, the accession RJ43.

Making sense of available information for climate change adaptation and building resilience into wine production systems across the world

Effects of climate change on viticulture systems and winemaking processes are being felt across the world. The IPCC 6thAssessment Report concluded widespread and rapid changes have occurred, the scale of recent changes being unprecedented over many centuries to many thousands of years. These changes will continue under all emission scenarios considered, including increases in frequency and intensity of hot extremes, heatwaves, heavy precipitation and droughts. Wine companies need tools and models allowing to peer into the future and identify the moment for intervention and measures for mitigation and/or avoidance. Previously, we presented conceptual guidelines for a 5-stage framework for defining adaptation strategies for wine businesses. That framework allows for direct comparison of different solutions to mitigate perceived climate change risks. Recent global climatic evolution and multiple reports of severe events since then (smoke taint, heatwave and droughts, frost, hail and floods, rising sea levels) imply urgency in providing effective tools to tackle the multiple perceived risks. A coordinated drive towards a higher level of resilience is therefore required. Recent publications such as the Australian Wine Future Climate Atlas and results from projects such as H2020 MED-GOLD inform on expected climate change impacts to the wine sector, foreseeing the climate to expect at regional and vineyard scale in coming decades. We present examples of practical application of the Climate Change Adaptation Framework (CCAF) to impacts affecting wine production in two wine regions: Barossa (Australia) and Douro (Portugal). We demonstrate feasibility of the framework for climate adaptation from available data and tools to estimate historical climate-induced profitability loss, to project it in the future and to identify critical moments when disruptions may occur if timely measures are not implemented. Finally, we discuss adaptation measures and respective timeframes for successful mitigation of disruptive risk while enhancing resilience of wine systems.

Local adaptation tools to ensure the viticultural sustainability in a changing climate

[lwp_divi_breadcrumbs home_text="IVES" use_before_icon="on" before_icon="||divi||400" module_id="publication-ariane" _builder_version="4.19.4" _module_preset="default" module_text_align="center" module_font_size="16px" text_orientation="center"...

The modification of cultural practices in grapevine cv. Syrah, does it modify the characteristics of the musts?

The work shows the results of a year of experimentation (2020) in a Syrah variety vineyard in La Roda (Castilla-La Mancha, Spain). The trial approach was on a randomized block design with two factors: Irrigation (I) and Pruning (P).
Irrigation schedules were adjusted to apply amounts close to 1,500 m3/ha. With this provision, 2 different irrigation treatments were proposed: I1) Start of irrigation from pea-sized grape to post-harvest (providing at least 20 % of the total amount of irrigation water to be provided post-harvest); I2) Start of irrigation from pea-sized grape to harvest (usual irrigation practice in the study area). Pruning was proposed with two treatments, one at the end of January (P1), which is pruning on a conventional date; and P2) pruning carried out at the beginning of budding. In total, 4 repetitions were designed with 4 elementary plots, each one of them representing one of the proposed treatments (I1P1; I1P2; I2P1; I2P2). In total, 16 plots were worked on and each elementary plot consisted of 30 strains, distributed in 3 lines.
The productive response was evaluated with the yield results of the harvest harvested at 23 ºBrix. The qualitative response was measured in the musts through the indices of technological (acidity, pH and potassium) and phenolic maturity and aromatic compounds in free and glycosylated fractions. The treatments tested had, in general, an effect on the different variables analyzed.

Rootstock regulation of scion phenotypes: the relationship between rootstock parentage and petiole mineral concentration

Grapevine is grown as a graft since the end of the 19th century. Rootstocks not only provide tolerance to Phylloxera but also ensure the supply of water and mineral nutrients to the scion. Rootstocks are an important mean of adaptation to environmental conditions, because the scion controls the typical features of the grapes and wine. However, among the large diversity of rootstocks worldwide, few of them are commercially used in the vineyard. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which rootstocks modify the mineral composition of the petioles of the scion. Vitis vinifera cvs. Cabernet-Sauvignon, Pinot noir, Syrah and Ugni blanc were grafted onto 55 different rootstock genotypes and planted in a vineyard as three replicates of 5 vines. Petioles were collected in the cluster zone with 6 replicates per combination. Petiolar concentrations of 13 mineral elements (N, P, K, S, Mg, Ca, Na, B, Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu, Al) at veraison were determined. Scion, rootstock and the interaction explained the same proportion of the phenotypic variance for most mineral elements. Rootstock genotype showed a significant influence on the petiole mineral element composition. Rootstock effect explained from 7 % for Cu to 25 % for S of the variance. The difference of rootstock conferred mineral status is discussed in relation to vigor and fertility. Rootstocks were also genotyped with 23 microsatellite markers. Data were analysed according to genetic groups in order to determine whether the petiole mineral composition could be related to the genetic parentage of the rootstock. Thanks to a highly powerful design, it is the first time that such a large panel of rootstocks grafted with 4 scions has been studied. These results give the opportunity to better characterize the rootstocks and to enlarge the diversity used in the vineyard.