Using a grape compositional model to predict harvest time and influence wine style

Aim:  The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that the meaning of terroir should be regarded as transient. This is because climate, one of the principal components of terroir, is changing with time, and can no longer be assumed to be constant with fluctuations about a mean. This is due to the climate crisis.

This communication was estracted from a study concerning the viticultural characterization of A.V.A. “Friuli-Grave” area sponsored by Chamber of Commerce of Pordenone.

Fossil fuel combustion continues to drive increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, consequently elevating the global annual mean temperature and specifically increasing the growing season temperatures in many of the world’s most important wine growing regions (IPCC 2014; Jones et al 2005). Grapes are sensitive to changes in growing season temperatures, and past models have shown a direct link between warming temperatures and earlier harvest dates (Cook and Wolkovich 2016). Globally, there have been shifts of 1-2 weeks for wine growing regions (Wolkovich et al 2017 and references within). The phenological shifts resulting from growing season temperature increases are documented internationally, and models predicting phenology using temperature are becoming more precise (Parker et al 2011).

The Campanha Gaúcha is located in the pampa biome and has unique characteristics, as it is the hottest producing region with the lowest volume of rain in Southern Brazil. Furthermore, the large extensions of flat or low-sloping areas, harsh winters and great sunshine during the ripening period, made this the second largest producer of fine wines in Brazil.

In response to the growing demand for rapid, precise, and efficient methods of quantifying volatile compounds in alcoholic beverages, this study presents a novel approach for the determination of higher alcohols in wine, port wine, and brandy.