Terroir 2010 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Isotope composition of wine as indicator of terroir spatial variability

Isotope composition of wine as indicator of terroir spatial variability

Abstract

The goal of this work was to determine the spatial variability of terroir using the isotope composition of wine. Carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) stable isotope composition was measured in wines from Tempranillo (Vitis vinifera L.) vineyard, located in Rioja Appellation (Spain). Stable isotope composition, leaf area, vigour, yield components, grape and wine composition were determined in a grid of 85 geo-referenced points, that was drawn across the 5 ha vineyard area. Spatial variability of δ13C and δ18O of wine was studied and the vineyard area was divided into six sub-areas for each isotope. Spatial variability of wine isotope composition could be explained by variation in soil properties of the vineyard. Isotope composition of wine was related to vegetative growth and yield components. The wine water δ18O was significantly correlated to lateral leaf area, total leaf area and vigour at harvest. Carbon isotope (δ13C) was an excellent indicator of yield per vine, cluster weight and berry weight. A significant correlation between δ13C and total leaf area/yield ratio was also observed. Significant correlation was also observed between wine water δ18O and the content of malic and tartaric acids in both grape and wine. Moreover, wine δ13C and δ18O were significantly correlated with the anthocyanins and total phenols content in grape. Colour density of wine was significantly related to wine water δ18O. Our results suggest that carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) records in wines are useful tools to study spatial variability of terroir in viticulture.

DOI:

Publication date: October 6, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2010

Type: Article

Authors

Tardaguila J (1), Diago MP (1), Baluja J (1), Larcher R (2), Simoni M (2), Camin F (2)

(1) ICVV (Universidad de La Rioja, CSIC, Gobierno de La Rioja). 26006 Logroño. Spain.
(2) IASMA – Fondazione E. Mach, 38010 San Michele all’Adige. Trento. Italy.
Abstract

Contact the author

Keywords

δ13C, δ18O, GIS, Tempranillo, grapevine, Vitis vinifera

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2010

Citation

Related articles…

Technical innovation and quality control of wine production in China

Recent decades have witnessed an evolving trend of diverse product types, improved quality, and green, low-carbon, and sustainable development in chinese wine market. A quality evaluation system, namely, with a dual orientation of “flavor compounds” and “sensory evaluation” is used as guidance for winemaking innovation in China.

Perceptions of livestock integration in South African vineyards

Context and purpose of the study. Conventional viticulture relies heavily on synthetic inputs (fertilizers, pesticides), as well as mechanization to manage pests, weeds, and diseases and maximize yields.

Learning from remote sensing data: a case study in the Trentino region 

Recent developments in satellite technology have yielded a substantial volume of data, providing a foundation for various machine learning approaches. These applications, utilizing extensive datasets, offer valuable insights into Earth’s conditions. Examples include climate change analysis, risk and damage assessment, water quality evaluation, and crop monitoring. Our study focuses on exploiting satellite thermal and multispectral imaging, and vegetation indexes, such as NDVI, in conjunction with ground truth information about soil type, land usage (forest, urban, crop cultivation), and irrigation water sources in the Trentino region in North-East of Italy.

Measurement of redox potential as a new analytical winegrowing tool

Excell laboratory has initiated the development of an analytical method based on electrochemistry to evaluate the ability of wines to undergo or resist to oxidative phenomena. Electrochemistry is a powerful tool to probe reactions involving electron transfers and offers possibility of real-time measurements. In that context, the laboratory has implemented electrochemical analysis to assess oxidation state of different wine matrices but also in order to evaluate oxidative or reduced character of leaf and soil. Initially, our laboratory focused on dosage of compounds involved in responses of plant stresses and we were also interested in microbiological activity of soils. These analyses were compared with the measurement of redox potential (Eh) and pH which are two fundamental variables involved in the modulation of plant metabolism. Indeed, the variation of redox states of the plant reflects its biological activity but also its capacity to absorb nutriments. The Eh-pH conditions mainly determine metabolic processes involved in soil and leaf and our goal is to determine if this combined analytical approach will be sufficiently precise to detect biological evolutions (plant health, parasitic attack…).

Photoprotective extracts from agri-food waste to prevent the effect of light in rosé wines 

Light is responsible for adverse reactions in wine including the formation of unpleasant flavors, loss of vitamins or photodegradation of anthocyanins. Among them, the riboflavin degradation leads to the formation of undesirable volatile compounds, known as light-struck taste. These photo-chemical reactions could be avoided by simply using opaque packaging. However, most rosé wines are kept in transparent bottles due to different commercial reasons. Some agri-food waste extracts have been studied for their photoprotective action which turn to be highly correlated with phenolic content [1].