IVAS 2022 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 IVAS 9 IVAS 2022 9 Methoxypyrazine concentrations in grape-bunch rachis are influenced by rootstock, region, light, and scion.

Methoxypyrazine concentrations in grape-bunch rachis are influenced by rootstock, region, light, and scion.

Abstract

Methoxypyrazines (MPs) are readily extracted from grape berry and rachis during fermentation and can impart “green” and “herbaceous” sensory attributes to wine. Irrespective of whether MPs, including 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (IBMP), 3-isopropyl-2-methoxypyrazine (IPMP), and 3-sec-butyl-2-methoxypyrazine (SBMP), are extracted from berry or other vine material, techniques for remediation of wine with overpowering sensory characters attributable to MPs suffer from poor specificity or produce undesirable sensory outcomes, meaning that alternative control approaches are needed. Although often less considered than grape material, rachis contains comparatively higher concentrations of MPs, and Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz scions grafted onto rootstocks may influence the concentration of these compounds in the rachis. This work investigated the impact of region, scion, light, and rootstock on the concentration of MPs in the rachis of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon at harvest. Grape bunches from Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz vines grown on common rootstocks within a number of Australian Geographical Indications (GIs) were
sampled at maturity across multiple vintages. Berries were removed and rachis material was segmented, extracted, and analysed for IBMP, IPMP, and SBMP by GC-MS/MS using a stable isotope dilution assay. Pruning weights were recorded as indicative measures of vegetative growth over the previous season for a single GI for both Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz vines and light exclusion boxes were applied to bunches to investigate the effect of shading. Data analysis was achieved with linear mixed models, one-way analysis of variance, and linear regression. The research showed that MP concentrations in Shiraz rachis at harvest were significantly impacted by GI and an interaction effect was observed between growing region and rootstock, with IBMP in the rachis ranging from an average of 21 ng/kg to 690 ng/kg across different regions and rootstocks. It was hypothesised that rootstock-mediated vine vigour influenced MP concentrations due to changes in canopy porosity and size, altering light interception by the grape bunches. This was supported by a statistically significant positive linear relationship with vine vigour independent of scion variety. The importance of light interception on MP concentrations was seen with the application of light exclusion boxes to bunches at veraison, resulting in an increase in mean IBMP concentration in rachis by up to 8 times compared to the unboxed controls. Vine vigour and rootstock significantly impacted the concentration of MPs in Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz rachis at harvest, with Shiraz rachis being significantly affected by GI. These findings provide grapegrowers with knowledge to assist in the selection of new rootstocks for plantings or management of existing ones and equip winemakers with decision-making tools for achieving wines of targeted style and quality with respect to MP concentrations.

DOI:

Publication date: June 23, 2022

Issue: IVAS 2022

Type: Article

Authors

Sanders Ross1, Boss Paul1, Capone Dimitra1, Kidman Catherine2 and Jeffery David1

1Australian Research Council Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production and Department of Wine Science, The University of Adelaide, and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Agriculture and Food, PMB 1, Glen Osmond SA 5064, Australia
2Wynns Coonawarra Estate

Contact the author

Keywords

3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine, 3-isopropyl-2-methoxypyrazine, vigour, rootstock, geographical indication

Tags

IVAS 2022 | IVES Conference Series

Citation

Related articles…

Influence of weather and climatic conditions on the viticultural production in Croatia

The research includes an analysis of the impact of weather conditions on phenological development of the vine and grape quality, through monitoring of four experimental cultivars (Chardonnay, Graševina, Merlot and Plavac mali) over two production years. In each experimental vineyard, which were evenly distributed throughout the regions of Slavonia and The Croatian Danube, Croatian Uplands,

An analytical framework to site-specifically study climate influence on grapevine involving the functional and Bayesian exploration of farm data time series synchronized using an eGDD thermal index

Climate influence on grapevine physiology is prevalent and this influence is only expected to increase with climate change. Although governed by a general determinism, climate influence on grapevine physiology may present variations according to the terroir. In addition, these site-specific differences are likely to be enhanced when climate influence is studied using farm data. Indeed, farm data integrate additional sources of variation such as a varying representativity of the conditions actually experienced in the field. Nevertheless, there is a real challenge in valuing farm data to enable grape growers to understand their own terroir and consequently adapt their practices to the local conditions. In such a context, this article proposes a framework to site-specifically study climate influence on grapevine physiology using farm data. It focuses on improving the analysis of time series of weather data. The analytical framework includes the synchronization of time series using site-specific thermal indices computed with an original method called Extended Growing Degree Days (eGDD). Synchronized time series are then analyzed using a Bayesian functional Linear regression with Sparse Steps functions (BLiSS) in order to detect site-specific periods of strong climate influence on yield development. The article focuses on temperature and rain influence on grape yield development as a case study. It uses data from three commercial vineyards respectively situated in the Bordeaux region (France), California (USA) and Israel. For all vineyards, common periods of climate influence on yield development were found. They corresponded to already known periods, for example around veraison of the year before harvest. However, the periods differed in their precise timing (e.g. before, around or after veraison), duration and correlation direction with yield. Other periods were found for only one or two vineyards and/or were not referred to in literature, for example during the winter before harvest.

Short-term relationships between climate and grapevine trunk diseases in southern French vineyards

[lwp_divi_breadcrumbs home_text="IVES" use_before_icon="on" before_icon="||divi||400" module_id="publication-ariane" _builder_version="4.19.4" _module_preset="default" module_text_align="center" module_font_size="16px" text_orientation="center"...

Making sense of available information for climate change adaptation and building resilience into wine production systems across the world

Effects of climate change on viticulture systems and winemaking processes are being felt across the world. The IPCC 6thAssessment Report concluded widespread and rapid changes have occurred, the scale of recent changes being unprecedented over many centuries to many thousands of years. These changes will continue under all emission scenarios considered, including increases in frequency and intensity of hot extremes, heatwaves, heavy precipitation and droughts. Wine companies need tools and models allowing to peer into the future and identify the moment for intervention and measures for mitigation and/or avoidance. Previously, we presented conceptual guidelines for a 5-stage framework for defining adaptation strategies for wine businesses. That framework allows for direct comparison of different solutions to mitigate perceived climate change risks. Recent global climatic evolution and multiple reports of severe events since then (smoke taint, heatwave and droughts, frost, hail and floods, rising sea levels) imply urgency in providing effective tools to tackle the multiple perceived risks. A coordinated drive towards a higher level of resilience is therefore required. Recent publications such as the Australian Wine Future Climate Atlas and results from projects such as H2020 MED-GOLD inform on expected climate change impacts to the wine sector, foreseeing the climate to expect at regional and vineyard scale in coming decades. We present examples of practical application of the Climate Change Adaptation Framework (CCAF) to impacts affecting wine production in two wine regions: Barossa (Australia) and Douro (Portugal). We demonstrate feasibility of the framework for climate adaptation from available data and tools to estimate historical climate-induced profitability loss, to project it in the future and to identify critical moments when disruptions may occur if timely measures are not implemented. Finally, we discuss adaptation measures and respective timeframes for successful mitigation of disruptive risk while enhancing resilience of wine systems.

Extreme canopy management for vineyard adaptation to climate change: is it a good idea?

Climate change constitutes an enormous challenge for humankind and for all human activities, viticulture not being an exception. Long-term strategic changes are probably needed the most, but growers also need to deal with short-term changes: summers that are getting progressively warmer, earlier harvest dates and higher pH in musts and wines. In the last 10-15 years, a relevant corpus of research is being developed worldwide in order to evaluate to which extent extreme canopy management operations, aimed at reducing leaf area and, thus, limiting the source to sink ratio, could be useful to delay ripening. Although extreme canopy management can result in relevant delays in harvest dates, longer term studies, as well as detailed analysis of their implications on carbohydrate reserves, bud fertility and future yield are desirable before these practices can be recommended.