Changes in flavonol profile are a reliable indicator to assess the exposure of red grape berries to solar radiation and canopy architecture

Establish relationships between taste and mouthfeel properties of grapes and tannin-related chemical parameters. Tempranillo Tinto and Garnacha Tinta grapes were harvested from distinct blocks in different dates; each sample collection date was separated by one week. Grapes were destemmed and macerated in 15% of ethanol for one week. The polyphenolic fraction (PF) of samples was submitted to solid phase extraction on C18 cartridges and recovered with ethanol. PFs were reconstituted in wine model and their taste and mouthfeel properties were characterised by rate-K-attributes methodology. In parallel, concentration (TC) and activity (TAc) of tannins as well as the concentration of tannins linked to anthocyanins (T-A) were determined using HPLC-UV–VIS.

Grape phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae Fitch), a monophagous pest of the grapevine, induces nodosities on the roots through its sap-sucking activity.

When considering the application of a systemic approach to assess the intrinsic complexity of agricultural production, the following question immediately arises

Valpolicella is a famous wine producing region in the province of Verona owing its fame above all to the production of two Protected Designation of Origins (PDOs) withered wines: Amarone and Recioto. In recent years, however, the wineries have been interested in the enhancement and qualitative increase of another PDO, Valpolicella Superiore. All the Valpolicella PDOs wines are produced with a unique grape blend, mainly Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and a range of other minor varieties.

To evaluate the current and future impact of climate change on Viticulture requires an integrated view on a complex interacting system within the soil-plant-atmospheric continuum under continuous change. Aside of the globally observed increase in temperature in basically all viticulture regions for at least four decades, we observe several clear trends at the regional level in the ratio of precipitation to potential evapotranspiration. Additionally the recently published 6th assessment report of the IPCC (The physical science basis) shows case-dependent further expected shifts in climate patterns which will have substantial impacts on the way we will conduct viticulture in the decades to come.
Looking beyond climate developments, we observe rising temperatures in the upper soil layers which will have an impact on the distribution of microbial populations, the decay rate of organic matter or the storage capacity for carbon, thus affecting the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and the viscosity of water in the soil-plant pathway, altering the transport of water. If the upper soil layers dry out faster due to less rainfall and/or increased evapotranspiration driven by higher temperatures, the spectral reflection properties of bare soil change and the transport of latent heat into the fruiting zone is increased putting a higher temperature load on the fruit. Interactions between micro-organisms in the rhizosphere and the grapevine root system are poorly understood but respond to environmental factors (such as increased soil temperatures) and the plant material (rootstock for instance), respectively the cultivation system (for example bio-organic versus conventional). This adds to an extremely complex system to manage in terms of increased resilience, adaptation to and even mitigation of climate change. Nevertheless, taken as a whole, effects on the individual expressions of wines with a given origin, seem highly likely to become more apparent.