Terroir effects on wine aromatic metabolomics in the eastern foot of Helan Mountain, Ningxia, China

La D.O. Montilla-Moriles, situada en el sur de la provincia de Córdoba, corresponde a una de las zonas de mayor interés dentro de la vitivinicultura andaluza. Las formaciones de suelos

Over the next 25 years, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2013) predicts a ~20% increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration compared to the current level. Concurrently, temperatures are steadily rising. Grapevines, known for their climate sensitivity, will show changes in phenology, physiological processes and grape compositions in response. Investigating eco-physiological processes provides insights into the response of field-grown grapevines to elevated CO2 conditions. A Free Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment (FACE) facility was established in the Rheingau region of Germany. Two grapevine varieties (Vitis vinifera L., cvs. Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon) were planted, with the VineyardFACE comprising three rings with ambient atmospheric CO2 (approx. 400 – 420 ppm from 2014 to 2023, aCO2) and three rings with elevated CO2 concentration (+20% to ambient; eCO2).

Grapevine varieties from South-America, commonly known as criollas, originated because of the natural crossbreeding of grapevine varieties brought by the Spaniards. The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of some varieties to produce sparkling wines considering the effect of lees contact time. The following varieties were used: Moscatel Rosado, Criolla Chica, Pedro Gimenez, Blanca Oval, Canelón, and the European variety Chardonnay (control), planted in the ampelographic collection of EEA Mendoza INTA (Argentina). Pilot-scale vinifications were carried out to obtain the base wines, in 20 L glass containers. The second fermentation was performed through the traditional method.

Climate change is causing a gap between the technological and phenolic maturity of grapes, resulting in wines with high alcohol content and low polyphenol concentration. Another phenomenon associated with high temperatures and whose effect is more pronounced if the harvest is delayed is the decrease in the acidity of the grapes, mainly in malic acid, and an increase in pH caused by the accumulation of potassium derived from the increase in temperature. Therefore, climate change and the effects it causes on the vine leads to unbalanced wines, with high alcohol content and lack of color, with green tannins, astringency and excessively low acidity if not corrected.

Among the different management techniques in Viticulture, which have
been developed with the purpose of optimizing the interception of sunlight, the photosynthetic capacity of
the plant and the microclimate of the clusters, especially in varieties that show excess vigor, the management of defoliation presents great importance. The defoliation consists of the removal of leaves that cover or that are in direct contact with the curls, which can cause physical damages in the berries, and aims to balance the relation between part area and number of fruits, providing the aeration and insolation in the interior of the vineyard, as well as reduce the incidence of rot in order to achieve greater efficiency in phytosanitary treatments and quality musts.