Design of an indicator of vine vigor potential conferred by soil (vipos), using a fuzzy expert system

Traditional methods for identifying downy mildew in commercial vineyards are often labour-intensive, subjective, and time-consuming.

Spain is one of the main producers of high-quality fortified wines. Particularly some of them elaborated in Andalusia have acquired a great prestige for being unique due to their production in a specific geographical area with traditional methods, the grape variety used, the climate and the soil. Such is their distinguishing feature achieved that they have been protected by the European Union with the indication “Protected Designation of Origin” (PDO). Thus, there are four PDO of fortified wines in Andalucía (‘Condado de Huelva’, ‘Jerez Xérès Sherry’, ‘Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda’, and ‘Montilla-Moriles’). Furthermore, within each PDO,there are different categories according to their particular characteristics and winemaking conditions such as the aging process.

In sparkling wines, foam is a relevant aspect whose measurement method could affect the results. The shaking test (ST) is a simple method measuring foamability1,2

The multi-annual study of the International Genetic Bank of the Grape Vine has shown that red varieties are enough, but the red varieties that produce high-quality red wine are minimal.

The content of this communication arises from the deliberations of a working group mandated within the framework of the INRA-INAO 2000-2003 research convention, which brought together INAO representatives and researchers who had worked on AOCs or PGIs, in disciplines from the sphere of the humanities (consumer science, marketing, rural development) and biotechnical sciences (agronomy, animal production science, technology, biochemistry).