Terroir 2020 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Sensory profiles of Shiraz wine from six Barossa sub-regions: a comparison between industry scale and standardised small lot research wine making

Sensory profiles of Shiraz wine from six Barossa sub-regions: a comparison between industry scale and standardised small lot research wine making

Abstract

Aims: The Barossa wine region in South Australia comprises six sub-regions and is renowned for its Shiraz wines. However, there is no comprehensive documentation of the distinctive sensory characteristics of wines from these sub-regions.

Methods and Results: Shiraz wines from the six Barossa sub-regions (Central Grounds, Eastern Edge, Northern Grounds, Southern Grounds, Western Ridge and Eden Valley) were evaluated blind and in duplicate using descriptive sensory analysis by a highly trained panel of 12 experienced tasters. Evaluated wines were made with either standardised small lot winemaking (40L ferments, 2018 n= 69, 2019 n=72) or commercially produced (2018 n=44, 2019 n=76). Wine samples for sensory analysis were collected directly after completing malolactic fermentation and before maturation in oak or blending. Each vintage, the two sample sets were evaluated consecutively by the same panel, small lot wines followed directly by the commercially produced samples.

Results of the canonical variate analysis showed that wines from Eden Valley were consistently characterised as being more savoury (meaty, broth) compared to the other five sub-regions, for both vintages and production methods. Unlike their industry scale counterparts, research wines from the Western Ridge sub-region were characterised as more tannic (astringent, rough) for both vintages. Less consistent separation was observed for the other four sub-regions, with wines generally being described as fruit forward, with intense dark and red fruit.

Conclusions: 

Sensory profiles of Shiraz wines from the six Barossa sub-regions revealed a small number of consistent sub-regional characteristics for both standardised and industry scale wine samples across the two vintages.

Significance and Impact of the Study: Detailed sensory profiles for research and industry scale wine can provide valuable information for producers to best showcase wine sub-regional characteristics for marketing/promotional purposes. Next, sensory profile findings will be analysed along with soil, climate, berry and wine composition data as well as information on viticultural practices in an attempt to explain sub-regional differences and identify drivers of regionality.

DOI:

Publication date: March 17, 2021

Issue: Terroir 2020

Type: Video

Keywords

Sensory profiling, typicity, descriptive analysis, regionality, red wine

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2020

Citation

Related articles…

Grape must quality and mesoclimatic variability in Fruška Gora wine-growing region, Serbia

The Fruška Gora mountain is a traditional wine-growing region in Serbia situated in the Pannonian Basin. Due to such a position, the vicinity of the Danube River and the presence of concave configuration, it is suitable for grape production. This paper provides analyses of spatial variations in meteorological parameters and grape juice quality within Fruška Gora wine region over three consecutive vintages (2018-2020). The examined period can be defined as warm with cool nights during September (AVG 18,9°C; GDD 1918°C; CI 12°CF) and with the presence of mesoclimatic variability. The East part of the study area was somewhat drier and hotter compared to other parts of the region. The analyses of grape must samples (190 in total) of five cultivars (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc and Grašac (Welschriesling)) commonly grown across the region (19 sites), were performed using Fourier Transform Infrared Technology (FTIR). Among all cultivars, Sauvignon blanc was harvested first in the East area (DOY=246±5, GDD at harvest=1552±74, 22.2±0.7 °Brix), while the latest harvest was recorded for Cabernet-Sauvignon in the West (DOY=283±5, GDD at harvest=1936±187, 23.4±1.0 °Brix ). Both the red and white cultivars had higher acidity and YAN in the grape must if the vines were grown in the North and East compared to South and West areas. According to PCA analysis, Grašac showed the lowest variation in grape must chemical composition. Thus, the results confirm that Grašac is the most stable cultivar in Fruška Gora. All monitored cultivars reached technological fruit ripeness by the end of the growing season. However, it was difficult to reach full ripeness of red cultivars, mostly beacuse of uncoupling of technolocical and phenolic ripeness. Thus, Cabernet-Sauvignon had higher variations in GDD sums at harvest compared to other cultivars, which probably increased variations in grape must quality.

Modeling the suitability of Pinot Noir in Oregon’s Willamette Valley in a changing climate

Air temperature is the key driver of grapevine phenology and a significant environmental factor impacting yield and quality for a winegrape growing region. In this study the optimal downscaled CMIP5 ensemble for computing thegrowing season average temperature (GST) viticulture climate classification index was determined to spatially compute on a decadal basis predictions of the GST climate index and the grapevine sugar ripeness (GSR) model for Pinot Noir throughout the Willamette Valley (WV) American Viticultural Area (AVA). Forecasts for average temperature and a 220 g/L target sugar concentration level were computed using daily Localized Constructed Analogs (LOCA) downscaled CMIP5 historic and Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) future climate projections of minimum and maximum daily temperature. We explore spatiotemporal trends of the GST climate classification index and Pinot Noir specific applications of the GSR phenology model for the WV AVA. Spatiotemporal computations of the GST climate index and Pinot Noir specific applications of the GSR model enable the opportunity to explore relationships between their computed values with one intent being to provide updated GST ranges that better align with current temperature-based modeling understanding of Pinot Noir grapevine phenology and the viticultural application of LOCA CMIP5 climate projections for the WV AVA. The Pinot Noir specific applications of the GSR model or the GST index with updated bounds indicate that the percent of the WV AVA area suitable for Pinot Noir production is currently at or near its peak value in the upper 80s to lower 90s of this century.

A predictive model of spatial Eca variability in the vineyard to support the monitoring of plant status

[lwp_divi_breadcrumbs home_text="IVES" use_before_icon="on" before_icon="||divi||400" module_id="publication-ariane" _builder_version="4.19.4" _module_preset="default" module_text_align="center" module_font_size="16px" text_orientation="center"...

Climate, Viticulture, and Wine … my how things have changed!

The planet is warmer than at any time in our recorded past and increasing greenhouse emissions and persistence in the climate system means that continued warming is highly likely. Climate change has already altered the basic framework of growing grapes for wine production worldwide and will likely continue to do so for years to come. The wine sector can continue to play an important role in leading the agricultural sector in addressing climate change. From developing on…

Climate change impacts: a multi-stress issue

With the aim of producing premium wines, it is admitted that moderate environmental stresses may contribute to the accumulation of compounds of interest in grapes. However the ongoing climate change, with the appearance of more limiting conditions of production is a major concern for the wine industry economic. Will it be possible to maintain the vineyards in place, to preserve the current grape varieties and how should we anticipate the adaptation measures to ensure the sustainability of vineyards? In this context, the question of the responses and adaptation of grapevine to abiotic stresses becomes a major scientific issue to tackle. An abiotic stress can be defined as the effect of a specific factor of the physico-chemical environment of the plants (temperature, availability of water and minerals, light, etc.) which reduces growth, and for a crop such as the vine, the yield, the composition of the fruits and the sustainability of the plants. Water stress is in many minds, but a systemic vision is essential for at least two reasons. The first reason is that in natural environments, a single factor is rarely limiting, and plants have to deal with a combination of constraints, as for example heat and drought, both in time and at a given time. The second reason is that plants, including grapevine, have central mechanisms of stress responses, as redox regulatory pathways, that play an important role in adaptation and survival. Here we will review the most recent studies dealing with this issue to provide a better understanding of the grapevine responses to a combination of environmental constraints and of the underlying regulatory pathways, which may be very helpful to design more adapted solutions to cope with climate change.