Measurement of quality potential: insights into planting choices
Abstract
Within the current context of climate change, the choice of variety and rootstock for each specific pedo-climatite becomes critical. In order to study the impact of soil, rootstock, and the age of the plot on wine quality, a database was created across a group of 7 chateaux of the Médoc production area (Bordeaux region). The database includes 409 plots representing 289 ha. A quality index was assigned taking in account the type of wine produced (1st, 2sd, 3rd) over 6 years (2008-2013) for each individual plot. The results showed a low diversity of rootstocks and a weak adaptation of rootstock to the soils, highlighting the vulnerability of these vineyards to climate change. Each studied factor had an effect on quality, but none alone explain the type of wine produced. According to variety and vintage, the effect of each parameter on wine quality is different. For instance, on Merlot, the data highlighted a strong effect of age and soil, and a lower effect of rootstock, on the quality index. This study demonstrates the power of working on a larger scale than the individual estate in order to consider a higher variability across the factors studied. The analyses of database produce some surprising results, quite different from what is commonly described as typical for Medoc vineyards.
Issue: GiESCO 2017
Type: Extended abstract
Format: Poster
Authors
1 Univ. Bordeaux, Vitinnov,Bordeaux Sciences Agro, ISVV, 1 cours du Général de Gaulle, 33170 Gradignan
2 Bordeaux Sciences Agro, Univ. Bordeaux, ISVV, Ecophysiology and fonctionalgenomics of grapevines, GFV, INRA, UMR 1287, F-33140 Villenave-d’Ornon, France
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Keywords
database, wine quality index, soil-type, rootstock, vine variety