Terroir 2016 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Environmental and viticultural practice effects on the phenolic composition of grapes: impact on wine sensory properties

Environmental and viticultural practice effects on the phenolic composition of grapes: impact on wine sensory properties

Abstract

Grape phenolic compounds are located in the internal layers of grape skins and seeds. They are synthesized via the phenyl-propanoid biosynthetic pathway which is modulated by both biotic and abiotic factors. Considerable research has been conducted to clarify the evolution pattern of grape phenolic compounds and the role of environmental and viticultural factors that can manipulate their levels at harvest. The accumulation of phenolic compounds in grapes may be influenced by grape variety, environmental conditions and viticultural practices. More notably, the influence of irrigation on the accumulation of anthocyanins in grapes has been treated by several authors reporting an overall positive impact of mild water deficit, attributed to changes in berry skin-to-pulp ratio, modifications in grape microclimate or differences in the partitioning of assimilates among vine organs. Moreover, light environment of the grapes, as affected directly by leaf removal, is reported to modify skin anthocyanin content, profile and extractability. However, under hot climate conditions, increased temperatures of exposed berries may hasten phenolic ripening and decouple skin and seed sensory traits. Concerning berry tannins, reports on the effects of environmental and viticultural conditions are fewer and inconsistent. Moreover, there is limited information available concerning the effects of environmental and viticultural conditions on the structural characteristics of grape proanthocyanidins, such as polymerization, galloylation and subunit composition, which define wine sensory properties.

Download the PDF

DOI:

Publication date: June 23, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2016

Type: Article

Authors

Stefanos KOUNDOURAS

Laboratory of Viticulture, School of Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Forrestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece

Contact the author

Keywords

grapevine, anthocyanins, tannins, flavan-3-ols, astringency, bitterness, polymerization, irrigation, microclimate

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2016

Citation

Related articles…

Topographic modeling with GIS at Serra Gaúcha, Brazil: elements to study viticultural terroir

Brazil is historically known at the international wine market as an importer, eventhough in the last decades there was an increase in quantity and quality of the internal production. Nowadays, about 40% of fine wines comsuption of the country are national ones. The main production region is called Serra Gaúcha, where the natural conditions are heterogeneous and viticulture is develloped in small properties, mainly done by the owners family.

Read More

Relevance of an immunoassay test for rapid detection of Botrytis cinerea in ‘Ugni blanc’ musts and wines

A new immunoassay kit, called Botrytis Lateral Flow Device has been tested to detect Botrytis cinerea on musts and wines. The comparison of the immunoassay result with the quantitative analysis of usual markers (gluconic acid, sugars and polyols) showed the relevance of this innovative tool.

Read More

“Garrigues”, part of the mediterranean vine terroirs

Les paysages viticoles méditerranéens présentent une originalité qui ne se retrouve nulle part ailleurs : ils associent des garrigues très odoriférantes à des parcelles de vignes souvent qualitatives. La connaissance empirique des vins du Languedoc par leurs dégustateurs a conduit la Chambre d’Agriculture de l’Hérault à supposer que les arômes de la garrigue environnante peuvent se retrouver dans les vins (arômes de ciste, de genévrier, … )

Read More

Influence of the “terroir” (soil, climate and wine grower) on the quality of red Grenache wines in the Rhône Valley

«L’Observatoire Grenache» est un réseau de parcelles qui a été mis en place par l’Institut Rhodanien en Vallée du Rhône sur les millésimes de 1995 à 1999. Composé de 24 parcelles de Vitis vinifera L. cv Grenache noir, ce réseau vise à étudier l’influence du terroir (sol, climat et vigneron) sur la qualité des vins. Les parcelles ont été choisies afin de représenter différentes situations géographiques et géopédologiques de la vallée du Rhône. Le matériel végétal (clone, porte-greffe), la taille (cordon de Royat), la densité et l’âge de la parcelle ont été encadrées. Ainsi les conditions de milieu (sol, climat) et les pratiques du vigneron étaient les principales sources de variations.

Read More

Island and coastal vineyards in the context of climate change

Aim: The notion of “terroir” enables the attribution of distinctive characteristics to wines from the same region. Climate change raises issues about viticulture, especially the growth of the vines and even more importantly the economic situation of actual wine-growing regions (Schultz and Jones 2010; Quénol 2014). Several studies have addressed the impacts of climate change on viticulture in

Read More