Caratterizzazione delle produzioni vitivinicole dell’ area del Barolo: un’esperienza pluridisciplinare triennale (1)

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of topsoil thickness on dormant pruning weights, cluster compactness, and fruit composition (°Brix, titratable acidity, pH) in the Mid-Atlantic of the United States. 

Phenolic compounds are released from the wood into the wine spirit (WS) during the ageing process, and are of utmost importance to the colour, flavour, taste and the overall quality acquired by this spirit drink.1 Their concentrations in the WS and the related effects mainly depend on the kind of wood (oaks vs chestnut), toasting level and ageing technology (traditional using wooden barrels vs alternative).1,2,3

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is the most commonly used additive during winemaking to protect wine from oxidation and from microorganisms. Thus, since the 18th century, SO₂ was almost systematically present in wines. Recently, wines produced without any addition of SO₂ during all the winemaking process including bottling became more and more popular for consumers. A recent study dedicated to sensory characterization of Bordeaux red wines produced without added SO₂, revealed that such wines were perceived differently from similar wines produced with using SO₂ and were characterized by specific fruity aromas and coolness1,2.

L’entreprise viticole Concha y Toro S.A. gère environ 600 ha de vignes dans la Vallée du Maipo (A.O. Valle del Maipo). L’objectif est celui de caractériser spatialement ces vignobles et leur occupation du sol environnante. Le choix s’est porté vers la démarche de zonage viticole par l’analyse spatiale, utilisant des traitements d’images satellitaires afin d’avoir une vision synoptique de la zone à moindres coûts et délais. Un système d’informations géographiques (SIG) est construit à partir des données suivantes : cartes topographiques, géologique, fond cadastral numérique, images satellitaires. Un modèle numérique de terrain est par ailleurs construit à une résolution de 25 m à partir des cartes topographiques.

The definition of terroir has evolved throughout history, from something clearly negative in the XVIth-XVIIIth century to a complex multi-parametric construct with positive connotations but also with many scientific unknowns. Terroir has always been linked more or less explicitly to the sensory properties of the resulting products.