Terroir 2012 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Identifying New Zealand Sauvignon blanc terroirs

Identifying New Zealand Sauvignon blanc terroirs

Abstract

The concept of terroir is well established in the ‘old world’ wine industry but its use is still relatively new in New Zealand. Marlborough Sauvignon blanc has become a benchmark for Sauvignon blanc around the world. However, under The NZ Geographical Indications (Wines and Spirits) Registration Act 2006, this label covers all the Sauvignon blanc wines from Marlborough irrespective of brand, sub-region or production method. This is not atypical for a young industry, as it takes many years to understand the subtleties of a ‘terroir’ with its own ecophysiological conditions.
To identify distinctive terroirs, a collaborative project with New Zealand Sauvignon blanc grape producers has been initiated. This study investigates the typicality of individual commercial juices. About 100 Sauvignon blanc juices have been collected from throughout New Zealand during harvest 2011, but with the majority coming from Marlborough. Sub-samples of these juices were analysed for a number of compounds and 700-ml ferments wines were made. Fermentation characteristics were recorded and all wines were chemically analysed. A grower survey on vineyard practices was conducted. GIS technology was used to map vineyard practices, soil type and the geological and climatic conditions as well as juice and wine characteristics. The information that has been gathered will help to define identifiable New Zealand terroirs.

DOI:

Publication date: October 1, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2012

Type: Article

Authors

Marc GREVEN (1), Laure RESSÉGUIER (2), Victoria, RAW (1), Claire GROSE (1), Richard OLIVER (4), Roger HARKER (3)

(1) The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Marlborough, P.O. Box 845, Blenheim, New Zealand
(2) ENITA de Bordeaux, 1 Cours du Générale de Gaulle, 33175 Gradignan, France
(3) The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Mt Albert, Private Bag 92 169, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
(4) The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Private Bag 3230, Waikato Mail Centre, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand

Keywords

Terroir, Marlborough, Sauvignon blanc, GIS

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2012

Citation

Related articles…

Effects of urea and nano-urea foliar treatments on the aromatic profile of Monastrell wines

Foliar application of urea has proven to be an effective method for increasing the amino acid content in grapes, especially when the vineyard has additional nitrogen needs. These treatments can prevent problems of stucking fermentation during winemaking.

Flooding responses on grapevine: a physiological, transcriptional and metabolic perspective

Studies on model plants have shown that temporary soil flooding exposes roots to a significant hypoxic stress resulting in metabolic re-programming, accumulation of toxic metabolites and hormonal imbalance. To date, physiological and transcriptional responses to flooding in grapevine are poorly characterized. To fill this gap, we aimed to gain insights into the transcriptional and metabolic changes induced by flooding on grapevine roots (K5BB rootstocks), on which cv Sauvignon blanc (Vitis vinifera L.) plants were grafted.

Identification of loci associated with specialised metabolites in Vitis vinifera

Secondary (or specialised) metabolites such as terpenes and phenolic compounds are produced by plants for various roles which include defence against pathogens and herbivores, protection against abiotic stress, and plant signalling. Additionally, these metabolites influence grapevine quality traits such as colour, aroma, taste, and nutritional value. However, the biosynthesis of these metabolites is often complex and controlled by multiple genes which in grapevine are predominantly uncharacterised.

Metabolomics screening of Vitis sp. interspecific hybrids to select natural ingredients with cosmetic purposes

Introducing natural ingredients using green chemistry practices is a major challenge in cosmetics industry to follow the market trend. Among the plants of cosmetic interest, vine products show a remarkable diversity of natural substances with high potential for the cosmetic and dermatological sectors. To date, research focuses on well-known compounds like E-resveratrol and E-ε-viniferin,

Elicitors application in two maturation stages of Vitis vinifera L. cv Monastrell: changes on the skin cell walls

AIM: In a recent study, it was determined that the mid-ripening period is the most suitable for the application of methyl jasmonate (MeJ), benzothiadiazole BTH and MeJ+BTH on Monastrell grapes, to favor maximum accumulation of phenolic compounds at the time of harvest. However, the increase in the anthocyanin content of