Changes in the composition and extractability of flavonoids in Cabernet-Sauvignon: influence of site, climate and vine water status

Oloroso Sherry is a typical fortified wine from Jerez de la Frontera (south of Spain). It is one of the most used in the seasoning of oak barrels, called Sherry Cask, destined in this area for ageing brandies or condiments as wine vinegars. Brandy de Jerez is an European Geographical Indication for grape-derived spirits. Its special organoleptic characteristics are due to its traditional dynamic ageing in Sherry Casks. American oak is the most common wood employed in Jerez area, where Brandy de Jerez is exclusively manufactured. During ageing period of Sherry and brandies, the wood is not only a container, it is involved in several physicochemical process with the Sherry or the distillate. Oak wood is the responsible of the presence of many compounds in the products, affecting their aroma and chemical composition and having a high influence in their final quality. Moreover, the seasoned wood with Sherry wine could transfer the compounds from wine into the brandy, improving its aroma and flavor.

The Ibero-American Network of Viticulture, a component of the program of agricultural technology of the CYTED (Ibero-American Program of Science and Technology for Development), is developing the project “Zoning Methodology and Application in Viticultural Regions of Ibero-America”.

Dans le cadre de recherches sur la mise en évidence et le déterminisme d’un «effet terroir »un réseau de parcelles du cépage Cabernet Franc greffé sur S04, a été suivi de 1979 à 1990 en Val de Loire (A.O.C. Saumur-Champigny, Chinon et Bourgueil). Des analyses chimiques (N,P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn) ont été réalisées sur le sol, les feuilles au stade véraison, les moûts en cours de maturation et à la vendange et enfin sur le vin, pour 18 sites (répartis dans 12unités terroirs de base) et 7 millésimes différents.

Within the DOCa Rioja three main production areas are differentiated: Rioja Alta (RA), Rioja Alavesa (RAv) and Rioja Oriental (RO). They are three diverse territories with particular characteristics that are claimed to give rise to differentiated profiles. The present work aims at evaluating the sensory diversity of young commercial red wines in these three subregions. Therefore 30 young red wines (mainly Tempranillo and vintage 2021), ten from each subregion, were sensory described following a non-verbal free sorting task and a verbal free comment task by 32 well-established Rioja winemakers.

Extension of the growing season, compression of the annual growth cycle and higher frequency and severity of weather extreme events are consistent features of global warming. While mitigation of factors causing global warming is necessary in the medium-long term, wine growers need “ready to go” adaptation practices to counteract negative effects bound to climate change. This must be done in a sustainably way, meaning that remunerative yield, desired grape quality, low production cost and environment friendly solutions must be effectively merged. In this work, we will review contribution given over the last two decades prioritizing issues related to scion and rootstock choice, changes in vineyard floor management, new perception related to the use of irrigation in vineyards, adaptation practices aimed at decompress maturity, solutions to counteract or minimize damages due to late frost and sunburn and, lastly, some hints on how precision viticulture can help with all of this.