Using open source software in viticultural research

Approaching the notion of terroir wines at the level of consumption poses a problem due to the absence of a regulatory definition of the term terroir, which is not taken up either at Community level or at national level (the Consumer Code in particular does not define not the land). However, whatever definition is adopted for the terroir, we can retain at the consumer level an identification of the terroir through the different geographical mentions appearing on the labels or on the shelves of the wine shelf.

The characterization of « the soil effect » in vine growing is often limited to the description of the physical components of the terroir. Many works were done in this direction and corresponded to geological, pedological or agronomical approaches. However, if the physical environment influences the vine and its grapes, its effect becomes limited at the scale of exploitation. Thus, it could be important to consider how the viticulturist « translated » the potential.

The wine-making process generates numerous by-products at each stage (crushing, fermentation, ageing), including wine lees, which account for almost 25% of the total quantity.

Wine aroma is a complex gaseous mixture composed of various compounds; some of these molecules derive directly from the grapes while most of them are released and synthetized during fermentation or are due to ageing reactions

This paper presents the results of an agroclimatic study of the viticulture area called DOC Monreale (Pa), Italy, which was carried out with the aim to supply a working instrument supporting viticulture planning.