Grapegrowing soils

Abstract

The soil plays a key role in viticulture since it defines the planting depth, development and aeration of the root system and also controls the absorption of mineral elements and water conditions of the plant (1). Topography has been considered a determinant of the quality of wine from the Roman Empire; however, the classical treatises on viticulture pay little attention to soils and do not analyze the importance of adequate soil management. Grapevines have a remarkable adaptability to the soil type and may live and thrive in very different soil types. However, the soil type is a determinant of the quantity and quality of grapes produced. It is possible to asset that varieties do not belong to any place; the climate, soil, and the work of man are the real factors of quality (2). The basic aspect of the expression of terroir is the interrelationship between soil, climate and variety when those are optimized. Because of this interrelationship is impossible to define the “ideal” soil for a vineyard, since optimal results may be reached in different climate-soil-vineyard management combinations. This article summarizes the role of soils in viticulture.

DOI:

Publication date: August 28, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2012

Type: Article

Authors

Vicente SOTÉS

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid-ETSI Agrónomos. Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

Contact the author

Keywords

Pedology, geology, geomorphology, physico-chemical characteristics, water content, microbial diversity.

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2012

Citation

Related articles…

Crown procyanidin: a new procyanidin sub-family with unusual cyclic skeleton in wine

Condensed tannins (also called proanthocyanidins) are a widely distributed throughout in plants kingdom and are one of the most important classes of secondary metabolites, in addition, they are part of the human diet. In wine, they are extracted during the winemaking process from grape skins and seeds. These compounds play an important role in red wine organoleptic characteristics such as color, bitterness and astringency. Condensed tannins in red wine are oligomers and polymers of flavan-3-ols unit such as catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin and epicatechin-3-O-gallate. The monomeric units can be linked among them with direct interflavanoid linkage or mediated by aldehydes.

Physicochemical parameters of juices made from different grape varieties in the 2019 and 2020 Harvests of Rio Grande do Sul

This study evaluated the physicochemical parameters of grape juices produced in the serra gaúcha from the 2019 and 2020 harvests. To do this, 43 juice samples were analyzed, and divided into four distinct categories: juices made exclusively from bordô grapes (sb), juices made from bordô and niágara grapes (sbn), juices combining bordô and isabel grapes, and juices made from cuts of several grape varieties.

Investigating the conceptualization and practices linked to peppery notes in Syrah red wines by French winemakers from different regions

The peppery attribute is often used to describe the aroma of Syrah wines. Rotundone was identified as the main aroma compound responsible for these notes. A significant percentage of anosmic respondents to this molecule was reported in previous studies. However, in most cases, these anosmic respondents, formally tested through three-alternative forced choice (3AFC), frequently declare being able to perceive peppery notes in wines. The main objective of this study was to investigate how anosmic French producers from two different regions conceptualize the peppery notes in Syrah red wines, and how they link it to production practices in comparison with non-anosmic producers.

Introducing heterogeneity measurements in terroir studies. Application in the região demarcada do douro (n portugal)

Terroir zoning studies have to manage the heterogeneity and complexity of the landscape properties and processes. The varying geology is one of the main landscape properties conditioning the spatial variability of terroirs.

Taking advantage of difficulties. Variable rate application based on canopy maps to achieve a sustainable crop

Aim: The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of Variable Rate Application technologies based on prescription maps in commercial vineyards with large intra-parcel variability to achieve a more sustainable distribution of Plant Protection Products (PPP)