Terroir 1996 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Zoning methods in relation to the plant

Zoning methods in relation to the plant

Abstract

The characterization of the plant is the obliged pathway between the environment and the product. The responses of the plant amplify or reduce the variations of the environment, while determining directly the type and the quality of the products. These results are inscribed inside the Viticultural Terroir Unit (VTU). VTU is the complex interaction between the Basic Terroir Unit or BTU (interaction mesoclimate x soil/subsoil), the genotype (variety x rootstock), the management system, the oenological technologies. Thus, at the most complex level, a global biological triptych is found again : environment (source) x plant (structure) = produced and exchanged substances. It is important to note that the management system, resulting from the technical choices of the grower, generally acts on the environmental factors themselves, such as radiation, temperature, water and mineral element flux. Therefore, on one hand the study at the level of the plant is necessary to establish an objective link between the environment and the product, and on the other the observations in the plant concern the same variables as for the environment ; the zoning methods related to the plant must be associated to those concerning the environment, for a precise production.

DOI:

Publication date: February 15, 2022

Issue: Terroir 2002

Type: Article

Authors

Alain CARBONNEAU

Chaire de Viticulture et d’œnologie AGRO Montpellier
2 place P. Viala F-34060 Montpellier cedex

Contact the author

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2002

Citation

Related articles…

From vineyard to bottle. Rationalizing grape compositional drivers of the expression of valpolicella aroma ‘terroir’

AIM: Valpolicella is a renowned Italian wine-producing region (Paronetto, 1981). Wines produced in its different sub-regions are anecdotally believed to be aromatically different, although there is no systematic study addressing the chemical bases of such diversity

Socioeconomic impact of the LIFE Climawin project from the perspective of employees

This study examines, from the perspective of the employees at Bosque de Matasnos—a demonstrative winery participating in the LIFE Climawin project—the socioeconomic impact and potential contributions of the initiative to the wine sector and the sustainable development of the Ribera del Duero region in Spain.

Impact of glutathione-rich inactivated yeast on wine chemical diversity

Glutathione-rich inactivated dry yeasts (GSH-IDY) are claimed to accumulate intracellularly and then release glutathione in the must.

The myth of the universal rootstock revisited: assessment of the importance of interactions between scion and rootstock

Aim‐ Rootstocks provide protection against soil borne pests and are a powerful tool to manipulate growth, fruit composition and wine quality attributes

The concept of terroir: what place for microbiota?

Microbes play key roles on crop nutrient availability via biogeochemical cycles, rhizosphere interactions with roots as well as on plant growth and health. Recent advances in technologies, such as High Throughput Sequencing Techniques, allowed to gain deeper insight on the structure of bacterial and fungal communities associated with soil, rhizosphere and plant phyllosphere. Over the past 10 years, numerous scientific studies have been carried out on the microbial component of the vineyard. Whether the soil or grape compartments have been taken into account, many studies agree on the evidence of regional delineations of microbial communities, that may contribute to regional wine characteristics and typicity. Some authors proposed the term “microbial terroir” including “yeast terroir” for grapes to describe the connection between microbial biogeography and regional wine characteristics. Many factors are involved in terroir including climate, soil, cultivar and human practices as well as their interactions. Studies considering “microbial terroir” greatly contributed to improve our knowledge on factors that shape the vineyard microbial structure and diversity. However, the potential impact of “microbial terroir” on wine composition has yet not received strong scientific evidence and many questions remain to be addressed, related to the functional characterization of the microbial community and its impact on plant physiology and grape composition, the origins and interannual stability of vineyard microbiota, as well as their impact on wine sensorial attributes. The presentation will give an overview on the role of microbiota as a terroir component and will highlight future perspectives and challenges on this key subject for the wine industry.