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

The use of different tank materials during red wine aging has become increasingly popular, but little is known about their impact on wine chemical and physical parameters.

Having the possibility to use a wide spectrum of elecromagnetic waves, dielectric spectroscopy is a technique commonly used for electrical characterization of dielectrics or that of materials with high energy storage capacity, just to name a few. Based on the electrical excitation of dipoles (polymer chains or molecules) or ions in relation to the characteristics of a weak external electric field, this method allows the measurement of the complex permittivity or impedance of polarizable materials, each component having a characteristic dipole moment.In recent years, the food industry has also benefited from the potential offered by this technique, whether for the evaluation of fruit quality or during the pasteurization of apple juice [1-3]. As the tests are fast and do not destroy the products, dielectric spectroscopy proved to be an experimental tool suitable for online measurements as well as long-term monitoring.

When someone watches a hilly landscape, the image beauty creates emotions and frames of mind not easily forgettable, but sometimes man’s intervention by means of soil movement and reduction of the natural biodiversity can significantly modify the landscape and consequently the above-mentioned emotions. One speculates if sensory appreciation of a wine may be strongly affected by psychological factor: landscape beauty.

We performed a DC resistivity monitoring experiment during eight months in 2003. Low, medium and high resolution measurements have been carried out at various locations of a vineyard. General apparent resistivity mapping evidences the spatial variations of the summer drying of the subsurface.

Excess vigour has been a problem on fertile soils under high rainfall in many cool climate regions of Australia. High and low vigour blocks were selected in vineyards of the cool climate regions of King Valley, Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.