Cumulative effects of repeated drought stress on berry composition, and phenolic profile: Field experiment insights

Global warming is shifting vine phenology, resulting in a decoupling of phenolic and technological berry ripening. This is altering the balance of fruit traits, which is key relevance to winegrowers

The oenological potential of grapes at harvest depends on a combination of the major components of Terroir: the climate, the soil, the plant material, the training system and the crop management.

As the climate warms, the focus of concern in viticulture often turns to how higher temperatures may shift growing regions, change the character of AVAs, and alter fruit quality. However, climate warming is increasing most quickly during the winter dormancy cycle, a critical and often underappreciated portion of the grapevine life cycle. In response to decreasing temperatures and decreasing daylength, grapes initiate a series of physiological changes to enter dormancy, acquire freeze resistance, and time spring phenology such that the growing season begins after threat of frost.

The local wine as an area identified and recognized is a complex socio-historical reality that calls an effort of observation and theoretical reflection using various social sciences

Merlot grapevine is the second wine cultivar most planted in the world and especially in the Bordeaux wine region. This cultivar has many advantages in producing high quality wine; however, in the last decade, climate change has increased the sugar concentration in berries at harvest and shortened the maturation cycle. If this has been up to now a great opportunity to improve wine quality profile, we are touching the tipping point. High sugar concentration at harvest induces high alcool content in wine which can negatively impact wine quality. There are many viticultural and oenological practices possible to limit this effect. In this study we focus on plant material through intra-varietal diversity of Merlot cultivar.