Cultivo de la Malvasia en Tenerife

In the concept of sustainable viticulture proposed by the OIV, it can be noted that enhancing terroir is also one measure of sustainability. Thus, the territorial approach may offer an interesting viewpoint from which to consider this issue in a multi-perspective way.

Red wines can undergo many undesirable changes during the winemaking process and storage, particularly oxidative degradation due to numerous atmospheric oxygen intakes. This spoilage can impact organoleptic properties and color stabilization but this impact depends on the wine composition. Phenolic compounds constitute primary targets to oxidation reactions

Challenges associated with climate change, such as soil erosion and drought, have impacted viticulture across wine regions globally in recent decades. As winegrowers struggle to maintain yield and quality standards under these conditions, methods to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change have become more prevalent. One potential mitigation strategy is to enhance symbiotic interaction of grapevine roots with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).

In the study of terroir, a separate analysis of its many component factors can be of great help in accurately identifying a vineyard’s natural elements that impact wine quality and typicity. This research used a dedicated pluri-disciplinary approach to investigate the ecological characteristics, including geology and geographical features, of 14 vineyards that produce Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc cultivars in the alpine Alto Adige DOC wine region. Both the geopedological method using Vineyards Geological Identity (VGI) and the new Solar Radiaton Identity (SRI) topoclimatic classification method were used to provide analytical measurements and qualitative/quantitative characterisations. In addition, wide-ranging targeted and untargeted oenological and chemical analyses were carried out on grapes, musts and wines to correlate the soils’ geomineral and physical conditions with the biochemical properties of their fruits and wines. The research identified strong correlations between vineyard geo-identity and wine biofingerprint, confirming a mineral traceability of strontium rubidium ratio and some minerals distinctive to the local geology, such as K, Ca, Ag, Ba and Mn.  The study also discovered that particular geomineral and physical soil conditions of the studied vineyards are related to the different amount of amino acids, primary varietal aromas and polyphenols found in grapes, musts and wines. The research confirmed that winemaking technologies support oenological quality, although in some cases, human practices can overpower certain characteristic elements in wine, erasing the typical imprint left by the vineyards’ natural terroir, which becomes less traceable. Terroir abiotic ecological factors and vineyard identity can be classified in detail using the new VGI and SRI analysis methods to discover interrelationships between geo-pedological and topoclimatic conditions that impact wine quality. These methods are also helpful in identifying which ecological elements are exclusive to a particular vineyard or wine sub-region.

Conflicting messages about the consumption of alcoholic beverages – including wine – continue to dominate the media, causing increasing uncertainty among consumers and health professionals.