The dynamics of δ13C and δ18O in musts during berries development

β-Damascenone is a key norisoprenoid in grape (Vitis vinifera L.) that imparts floral and fruity aromas to both fruits and wines. It is derived from carotenoid metabolism, with neoxanthin as a substrate.

Pruning is one essential vineyard management activity whose main purpose is to regulate plant growth and vigour, modulating berry size, and consequently, wine quality. In Chilecito, La Rioja Province, Argentina, Torrontés Riojano stands as the only autochthonous variety for winemaking, yielding golden and aromatic berries and distinctive muscatel-tasting wines. This white cultivar, resulting from the natural cross between Moscatel de Alejandría x Criolla Chica, is traditionally trained in “parral” (horizontal trellis system), aimed to manage vigorous canopies. This project constitutes the first study on the influence of pruning intensity on Torrontés Riojano growth habit and berry quality.

The universalization in wine production has been restricting the imprint of terroir in regional wines, resulting in loss of typicity. Microbes are the main driving force in wine production, conducting fermentation and originating a myriad of metabolites that underly wine aroma. Grape berries harbor an ecological niche composed of filamentous fungi, yeasts and bacteria, which are influenced by the ripening stage, cultivar and region. The research project GrapeMicrobiota gathers a consortium from University of Zaragoza, University of Minho and University of Tours and aims at the isolation of native yeast strains from berries of the wine region Douro, UNESCO World Heritage, towards the production of wines that stand out in the market for their authenticity and for reflecting their region of origin in their aroma.

The terroir is today the most important factor of production and development in the wine sector. In a context where the commercial challenge is taking place all over the place, the distinction between traditional and “new” producing countries is not only a geographical, cultural and technical counter position but also, and above all, a legal one. Indeed, the system of standards present in the “old world” (plantation rights, production decrees, yields per hectare, etc.) which may represent, in the short term on the global market, constraints to development and product innovation must become an opportunity. But threats become opportunities, if we work, from the vine to the market, via communication, more on the elements of difference than on those of affinity.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly used to monitor canopy structure and vineyard performance. Compared with traditional remote sensing platforms (e.g. aircraft and satellite), UAVs offer a higher operational flexibility and can acquire ultra-high resolution images in formats such as true color red, green and blue (RGB) and multispectral. Using photogrammetry, 3D vineyard models and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) maps can be created from UAV images and used to study the structure and health of grapevine canopies. However, there is a lack of comparison between UAV-based images and ground-based measurements, such as leaf area index (LAI) and canopy porosity.