Consumers’ emotional responses elicited by wines according to organoleptic quality

Water deficits limit yields and this is one of the negative aspects of climate change. However, this applies particularly when emphasis is on biomass production (e.g. for crops like maize, wheat, etc.)

As an essential element for grapevine development and yield, nitrogen is also involved in the winemaking process and largely affects wine composition. Grape must amino nitrogen deficiency affects the alcoholic fermentation kinetics and alters the development of wine aroma precursors. It is therefore essential to control and optimize nitrogen use efficiency by the plant to guarantee suitable grape nitrogen composition at harvest. Understanding the impact of environmental conditions and cultural practices on the plant nitrogen metabolism would allow us to better orientate our technical choices with the objective of quality and sustainability (less inputs, higher efficiency). This trial focuses on the impact of crop limitation – that is a common practice in European viticulture – on nitrogen distribution in the plant and particularly on grape nitrogen composition. A wide gradient of crop load was set up in a homogeneous plot of Chasselas (Vitis vinifera) in the experimental vineyard of Agroscope, Switzerland. Dry weight and nitrogen dynamics were monitored in the roots, trunk, canopy and grapes, during two consecutive years, using a 15N-labeling method. Grape amino nitrogen content was assessed in both years, at veraison and at harvest. The close relationship between fruits and roots in the maintenance of plant nitrogen balance was highlighted. Interestingly, grape nitrogen concentration remained unchanged regardless of crop load to the detriment of the growth and nitrogen content of the roots. Meanwhile, the size and the nitrogen concentration of the canopy were not affected. Leaf gas exchange rates were reduced in response to lower yield conditions, reducing carbon and nitrogen assimilation and increasing intrinsic water use efficiency. The must amino nitrogen profiles could be discriminated as a function of crop load. These findings demonstrate the impact of plant balance on grape nitrogen composition and contribute to the improvement of predictive models and sustainable cultural practices in perennial crops.

IVES was a partner of the Merano Wine Festival (innovation section), a digital event held from 6 to 10 November 2020. During this festival participants attended scientific conferences on cutting-edge topics for the wine industry. Some of the topics covered have been selected from our journals

This paper summarises a national survey of the geological setting of vineyards in New Zealand. We also provide an overview of climate, slope, aspect and varietals planted in New Zealand vineyards as a whole and for some individual regions.

L’Oltrepò Pavese est une zone de collines de la Lombardie, région située au nord de l’Italie avec un vignoble qui s’étend sur près de 15 000 ha. Cette zone représente la plus grande aire de production de la région et une des A.O.C. les plus étendues de tout le pays. Les cépages les plus cultivés, même historiquement, sont autochtones : la Barbera et la Croatina utilisés pour la production de vin rouge «Oltrepò» et le Pinot noir pour la production de vins mousseux. Pour le zonage viticole de cette A.O.C., il a été pris en considération: le climat, les sols, les caractéristiques viti-vinicoles.