An infrared laser sensor to characterize the gaseous headspace of champagne glasses under static and swirling conditions

Context and purpose of the study. Vitis vinifera grapevine is a perennial crop which is globally cultivated, surviving cold winters in temperate zones by entering a state of dormancy.

This paper follows the one presented by Saayman at the International Symposium on Landscapes of Vines and Wines in the Loire Valley during July 2003. Where Saayman’s paper described the heritage and development of South African vineyard landscapes, this one focuses on how the landscape is used to assist in decision-making concerning the most important long term practices.

Grapevine cultivars are vegetatively propagated to maintain their varietal attributes. However, spontaneous somatic variation emerges during prolonged periods of vegetative growth, providing an opportunity for the natural improvement of traditional grapevine cultivars. Notably, reduction in bunch compactness is a favorable trait in viticulture, offering advantages such as decreased susceptibility to bunch fungal diseases, and a more uniform ripening of berries. To unravel the genetic and developmental mechanisms behind bunch compactness variation, we examined a somatic variant of Tempranillo Tinto cultivar with loose bunches. We found that the mutant clone exhibits a ~50% reduction in pollen viability compared to typical Tempranillo clones.

The use of cover crops (CCs) is widely proposed as an alternative to traditional soil management in vineyards to exploit a wide range of ecosystem services. The presence of a CC in the inter-row space is known to control spontaneous vegetation in vineyards, primarily through the biomass of the sown crop, which competes with other spontaneous species for soil resources.

The sustainability of vineyards is a major issue. The choices proposed to date have major flaws such as the lack of scientific bases or the use of dangerous products such as copper. GiESCO has published a charter of best practices for the environment and for people adapted to various environments. The use of sustainably resistant grape varieties that produce quality wines plays a central role here. Often innovative cultivation systems associated with new technologies and based on scientific bases, guarantee respect for people and the environment. These proposals are brought together in a charter which is part of a meta-ethical approach to seeking consensual measures to ensure the sustainability of vineyards.