Climate change is leading to a rise in average temperature and in the frequency and severity of heatwaves, and is already significantly disturbing grapevine phenology and berry composition. With the evolution of the weather of Australian grape growing regions that are already warm and hot, flavonoids, for which biosynthesis depends on bunch microclimate, are expected to be impacted. These compounds include anthocyanins and tannins which contribute substantially to grape and wine quality. The goals of this project were to determine if berry tannin accumulation is sensitive to high temperature and to enhance knowledge on upper temperature limits for viable wine production, in turn informing critical timing for mitigation strategies.

The development of sensory profiles is crucial for quality control and innovation in the wine industry. If quantitative descriptive analysis is the most commonly used method for establishing sensory profiles due to its robustness, it presents significant limitations.

Analysis of aerial photos by using GIS tools and on-field surveys of flora are used to characterize territories from an agro-ecological point of view and to assess the level of diversity of given agro-ecosystems. More and more correlations between landscape characteristics, sustainability and quality of agriculture production were speculated. In last three years a study was carried out in the area of DOC “Gioia del Colle” in Apulia, South Italy, in order to characterize and investigate different vineyards and sites and find out possible interactions and correlations between the landscape diversity, the biodiversity of fields and the quality of grapes and wines.

Grape ripening is a critical phenophase during which many metabolites driving wine quality are accumulated in berries. Major changes in berry composition include a rapid increase in sugar and a decrease in malic acid content and concentration. Its duration is highly variable depending on grapevine variety, climatic parameters, soil type and management practices.

Context and Purpose of the Study. PIWI grape varieties (Pilzwiderstandsfähig, fungus-resistant) offer innovative solutions for sustainable viticulture by addressing environmental challenges faced by traditional Vitis vinifera.