δ¹³C : A still underused indicator in precision viticulture  

Context and purpose of the study. The temperature increase related to ongoing climate changes is causing a progressive anticipation of the ripening time, negatively affecting grape quality at harvest.

Today winegrowers involved in mechanical winter pruning are applying this viticultural technique on two main training systems, the free cordon, appearing to be the more efficient, and the trellised vertical shoot positioning (VSP) system. The main reasons for maintaining the trellis are generally due to common habits in vineyard management, risk of wind damage for the shoots, or risk of decrease in photosynthesis potential. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of the two training systems on vine. In addition, different nitrogen fertilization levels were applied on the two systems to evaluate the best combination to achieve yield and grape quality.

Winemaking is influenced by micro-organisms, which are largely responsible for the quality of the product. In this context, Non-Saccharomyces and Saccharomyces species are of great importance not only because it influences the development of alcoholic fermentation (AF) but also on the achievement of malolactic fermentation (MLF). Among these yeasts, Torulaspora delbrueckii allows in sequential inoculation with strains of S. cerevisiae shorter MLF realizations [5] . Little information is available on the temporal effect of the presence of T. delbrueckii on (i) the evolution of AF and (ii) the MLF performance.

Calcium-induced instabilities present a major challenge in bottled wines, with calcium tartrate (CaT) precipitation becoming increasingly common due to rising calcium levels in grape must, largely driven by climate change. Although CaT is an insoluble salt, its instability— although less frequent than potassium hydrogen tartrate (KHT) precipitation—is more difficult to predict and control, as it develops gradually over time.

L’area a “Denominazione di Origine Controllata Colli Euganei”, riconosciuta con Dpr 13 agosto 1969, è situata a sud-ovest della Provincia di Padova (fig. 1) ed è costituita da un sis­tema collinare di nuclei vulcanici evolutosi morfologicamente.