Terroir 2020 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Agroclimatic characterisation of the Portugese wine denominations of origin using a compound index

Agroclimatic characterisation of the Portugese wine denominations of origin using a compound index

Abstract

Aims: This study aims to: (1) characterize the agroclimatic conditions of the Portuguese Denominations of Origin, using a compound index that combines thermal and soil water balance conditions and a high-resolution climatic dataset (~1 km spatial resolution); (2) categorize the main grapevine varieties as a function of this compound index.

Methods and Results: The 50 protected denominations of origin (DOs)/ sub-regions in mainland Portugal are considered in the analysis. The Huglin and dryness indices are computed based on a high-resolution dataset over mainland Portugal and for a baseline period (1981–2015). Principal component analysis is applied to the time-mean spatial patterns of the aforementioned bioclimatic indices and only over the planted vineyard cover areas in each region. This methodology enables the identification of a compound index that can be used to assess the agroclimatic conditions of a given DO / sub-region. Moreover, a set of 44 main grapevine varieties in Portugal is used for assessing their growth conditions. A categorization of these varieties in terms of their current agroclimatic growing conditions is also analyzed based on GIS methods.

Conclusions: 

The present study highlights a wide diversity of agroclimatic conditions in the Portuguese DOs. This heterogeneity contributes to a vast number of different terroirs in the country, which is an important added-value for the winemaking sector, particularly under the ongoing climate change. Furthermore, it is shown that the main grapevine varieties in Portugal are also growing in very different agroclimatic conditions, which enables their categorization based on their current growing bioclimatic conditions.

Significance and Impact of the Study: The results of this study are not only useful for a detailed characterization of the agroclimatic conditions of the Portuguese DO, where there is a considerable lack of meteorological observations, but are also of utmost relevance when planning climate change adaptation measures and risk reduction strategies in the Portuguese winemaking sector. The variety-specific information may also be very helpful for varietal selection, mostly because information of climatic suitability for most of the Portuguese grapevine varieties is still incipient.

DOI:

Publication date: March 17, 2021

Issue: Terroir 2020

Type: Video

Authors

João A. Santos1*, Mónica Santos1, André Fonseca1, Helder Fraga1, Gregory Jones2

1Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences, CITAB, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, UTAD, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
2Center for Wine Education, Linfield College, McMinnville, Oregon

Contact the author

Keywords

Denominations of Origin, Huglin Index, Dryness Index, Compound Index, bioclimatic zoning, Portugal

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2020

Citation

Related articles…

Clones of 10 Vitis vinifera varieties: degree of inter- and intra-varietal variation and putative mechanisms underlying clonal variability

Context and purpose of the study. Intra-varietal variability for key physiological and oenologically important traits can be exploit in viticulture following the consistently higher environmental pressure driven by climate change.

PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN THE VINEYARD ENVIRONMENTS: VINE LEAVES, GRAPE BERRIES, WINES, HONEYBEES AND ASIAN HORNETS

Synthetic pesticides are widely used in viticulture to ensure steady harvest quality and quantity. Fungicides are primarily used to control grapevine diseases but insecticides and herbicides are likewise used. Pesticide residues in viticultural areas currently represent a strong societal concern, but may also affect different trophic chains in such areas. In this project we wish to analyse honeybees collected from hives placed in different vineyards, their natural predator (the invasive hornet Vespa velutina), as well as the honey, grape berries, and wines produced.

Electrochemical diversity of italian white wines

Analysis of phenolic compounds typically involve spectrophotometric methods as well as liquid chromatography combined with DAD, fluorimetric, or MS detection. However, the complexity of wine phenolic composition generated, in recent years, attention towards other analytical approaches, including those allowing rapid and inexpensive operations. Voltametric AIM Oxidation of white wine phenolics occurs at different stages during winemaking and storage and can have important implications for wine sensory quality. Phenolic compounds, in particular those with a ortho-diphenol moiety, are main target of oxidation in wine. Strategies for the methods are particularly suited for the analysis of oxidizable compounds such as phenolics. The redox-active species can be oxidized and reduced at the electrode, therefore, applications of electrochemistry have been developed both to quantify such species, and to probe wine maturation processes.3 The project on the diversity of Italian wines aims at collecting and analysing large-scale compositional dataset related to Italian white wines.

IBMP-Polypenol interactions: Impact on volatility and sensory perception in model wine solution

3-Isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (IBMP) is one of the key molecules in wine aroma with a bell pepper aroma and a very low threshold in wine, 1-6 ng/L for white wine and 10-16 ng/L in red wine1. The differences in these thresholds are likely due to IBMP-non volatile matrix interactions. It has indeed been shown that polyphenols may influence the volatility of flavor compounds2. In the present study, we focus on IBMP-polyphenols interactions in relation to volatility and sensory perception in model wine solution. Methods: 1. GC-MS Static Headspace Analysis: Samples were analyzed by Static headspace analysis with an Agilent 7890A gas chromatograph coupled to HP 5975C mass spectrometry detector (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA, USA).

Étude de la variabilité des facteurs naturels du terroir viticole, à travers une gamme d’A.O.C. en Anjou (France)

Un programme de recherche concernant les facteurs naturels et humains des terroirs viticoles a été développé dans le vignoble A.O.C. de l’Anjou, sur une surface d’environ 30.000 Ha