Observation and modeling of climate at fine scales in wine-producing areas

AIM: The application of microwaves (MW) to the grape is a technique to reduce the contact time with pomace because it allows to break the cell walls of the berry.

The composition in condensed tannins of the grape berries is essential for the quality of the harvest. Proanthocyanidins have a significant influence on the organoleptic properties of the red wines

Inorganic phosphonates are known to effectively support the control of grapevine downy mildew in vi- ticulture. Their application helps the plant to induce an earlier and more effective pathogen defense. However, inorganic phosphonates have been banned in organic viticulture due to their classification as plant protection products since October 2013. Despite the ban, phosphonate has been recently detected in organic wines.

It is well-known that there is a relationship between the “terroir” and the characteristics of grapes and quality of wines. However, adequate grape variety and other cultural factors should be also taken into account

The assessment of wine authenticity is of great importance for consumers, producers and regulatory agencies to guarantee the geographical origin of wines and grape variety as well. Since mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy with chemometrics represent a suitable tool to ascertain the wine composition, including features associated with the polyphenolic compounds, the aim of this study was to generate MIR spectra of red wines to be exploited for classification of red wines based on the relationship between grape variety and wine composition. Several multivariate data analyses were used, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Discriminant Analysis (DA), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Soft Intelligent Modelling of Class Analogy (SIMCA).