Spatio-temporal analysis of grapevine water behaviour in hillslope vineyards. the example of corton hill, Burgundy

Dada la importancia de los suelos y de los substratos geológicos en la zonificación vitivinícola, los autores realizan una revisión de estudios sobre las formaciones más importantes en la D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry y Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

Viticulture is threatened by the environmental modification caused by climate change. Higher temperatures determine an acceleration of the ripening process, which can be detrimental to wine quality. In the mediterranean area, heat waves are also increasingly frequent, with consequent blocking of the vegetative activity of the vines and increased susceptibility to sunburn damage. thus, adaptation strategies are necessary to reduce stress and improve the quality of grape production. Amongst the various techniques available, shading nets represent an interesting alternative for their effects on canopy microclimate (i.e., reduction of photosynthetic activity, improvement of water use efficiency, and slowing down in the ripening process).

In 2010, the OIV adopted a resolution that defines ‘terroir’. The OIV definition understands terroir as the result of the interactions between the physical specificities of a space and human labor, with an emphasis on the subsequently produced collective knowledge (OIV-VITI 333-2010); by doing so, it alludes to the social and cultural dimensions of terroir.

Schiava cv. (germ. Vernatsch) is a group of grape varieties used for winemaking (e.g. Kleinvernatsch-Schiava gentile, Grauvernatsch-Schiava grigia, Edelvernatsch-Schiava grossa) historically reported in Northern Italy, Austria, Germany and Croatia. Beside common phenotypic traits, these varieties have been also hypothesized to share a common geographical origin in Slavonia (Eastern Croatia). Nowadays, Schiava cv. are considered historical grape varieties of northern regions of Italy such as Lombardy, Trentino and South Tyrol. Traditionally widely consumed locally and also exported, over the past decades there has been a steady drop in production of these grapes, although with a parallel increase in wine quality. In this report, the effects of three main enological variables on the chemical components of Schiava produced in South Tyrol (var. Schiava grossa) are investigated from grape to bottle.

A positive role of mannoproteins on wine stability and red wine mouth sensations has been widely described. Commercial mannoproteins are available and some yeast strains are offered with a higher formation of mannoproteins.