WAC 2022 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 WAC 9 WAC 2022 9 3 - WAC - Posters 9 The chemical composition of disease resistant hybrid grape cultivars and its impact on wine quality: an exploratory enquiry into sustainable wines

The chemical composition of disease resistant hybrid grape cultivars and its impact on wine quality: an exploratory enquiry into sustainable wines

Abstract

Disease resistant hybrid grape cultivars are now allowed in a number of EU wine PDOs, and are also accepted in a number of countries outside the EU. There is increasing interest in diseases resistant hybrid grape cultivars (RHGCs) because they allow for the production of healthy, high quality grapes with limited use of pesticides and the associated environmental and public health problems. However, the chemical composition of DRHGCs differs from Vitis vinifera, and hence winemaking protocols need to be adjusted. In particular, DRHGCs are frequently high in pH, due to their mineral content, and low in titratable acidity, due to the ability of the grapes to continue to accumulate acid post-véraison. They are also frequently low in tannins, partly due to their high protein content. This can also mean that the addition of exogenous tannins might not be sufficient to increase wine tannin levels to match Vitis vinifera wines. Depending on the species used in breeding, they can also have unusual herbaceous or ‘foxy’ aromas, which can be off-putting to consumers. In response, vignerons have trailed a number of different methods for vinifying DRHGCs, such as thermovinification, carbonic maceration, and cold soaks. The results of such trials are still inconclusive, and it is likely that different cultivars will require different approaches. This study will examine the chemistry of DRHGCs, and propose vinification techniques suitable for use in producing high quality wines. The paper is part of a broader investigation on sustainability in the wine sector and contributes to establish a scientific evidence for defining further steps in the direction of the ecological transition.

Download the PDF

DOI:

Publication date: June 27, 2022

Issue: WAC 2022

Type: Article

Authors

Gavin DULEY, Edoardo LONGO, Federica VIGANÒ, Emanuele BOSELLI

Presenting author

Gavin DULEY  – Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

Contact the author

Keywords

Disease resistant hybrid grape cultivars – sustainable wines – winemaking protocols – green technologies – wine chemistry

Tags

IVES Conference Series | WAC 2022

Citation

Related articles…

Influence of the irrigation period in Tempranillo grapevine, under the edaphoclimatic conditions of the Duero river valley

Irrigation of vineyards is a matter of controversial arguments at areas of high quality wine production. Besides, the effects of the water in the plant are closer related to the water availability than to the irrigation regime.

Read More

Old but gold: the interest for minor grapevine varieties – a case study in the Veneto region (Italy)

The biodiversity of cultivated vines has been significantly reduced due to a series of factors that have favoured the cultivation of a limited number of varieties and clones over time. In veneto, since 1980, a series of important actions have been implemented to counter this process. These actions have focused on the conservation of germplasm identified in the territory and the recovery of varieties historically present in the region, which were in danger of being abandoned and disappearing.

Read More

Soil survey and continuous classification for terroir delineation in the “Colli Orientali del Friuli” wine production area

The combination of a non-parametric dissimilarity index with auger boring recordings was tested in a project of soil suitability evaluation for quality wine production in a 2000-ha hill slope portion of the “Colli Orientali del Friuli” AOC district (Italy).

Read More

Exploring the impact of grape pressing on must and wine composition

Pressing has a relevant impact on the characteristics of the must and subsequently on white wines produced [1]. Therefore, the adequate management of pressing can lead to the desired extraction of phenols and other grape compounds (i.e. Organic acids), aromas and their precursors, allowing the production of balanced wines [2]. This aspect is especially important to sparkling wine where the acidity and pH, and the content of phenols affect its longevity and the expected sensory character.

Read More

Multivariate characterization of Italian monovarietal red wines using FTIR spectroscopy

The assessment of wine authenticity is of great importance for consumers, producers and regulatory agencies to guarantee the geographical origin of wines and grape variety as well. Since mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy with chemometrics represent a suitable tool to ascertain the wine composition, including features associated with the polyphenolic compounds, the aim of this study was to generate MIR spectra of red wines to be exploited for classification of red wines based on the relationship between grape variety and wine composition. Several multivariate data analyses were used, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Discriminant Analysis (DA), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Soft Intelligent Modelling of Class Analogy (SIMCA).

Read More