Terroir 2020 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Development of the geographic indication vale do São Francisco for tropical wines in Brazil

Development of the geographic indication vale do São Francisco for tropical wines in Brazil

Abstract

Aim: Geographical Indications-GI are commonly used to protect territorial products around the world, such as cheese and wine. This qualification is useful because it improves the producer’s organization, protects and valorizes the distinct origin and quality of the product, increases recognition and notoriety, and adds value for products. Tropical wines are mainly produced in Brazil, India, Thailand, Myanmar and Venezuela. In the 1980’s, Brazil started to produce tropical wines in the São Francisco Valley, where vines are pruned twice per year and grapes are harvested twice a year, due to the natural conditions – high annual average temperature, solar radiation, water availability for irrigation, and vineyard management, using phytoregulators. According to the plot scheduling, wineries can prune and harvest every day throughout the year. In this study, a Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) project was developed between 2013 and 2018. The objective was to produce a dossier that describes the climate and soil conditions, landscape, topography, agronomical and viticultural parameters, as well as the enological protocols used by all wineries, in Vale do São Francisco, a region producing tropical wines. The dossier will be submitted in 2020 by Vinhovasf, an Association of the wineries, to recognize Vale do São Francisco as a Geographical indication (GI) for tropical wines. This GI will include white, red, and also sparkling wines made from traditional varieties of Vitis vinifera L. to the region.

Methods and Results: The geographical area delimited by the GI, includes eight cities presenting similar climate conditions (33,000 km2 of total area). A characterization of the soils in the GI area, as well as the trellis systems of the vineyards, the rootstocks and varieties adapted and authorized, and the enological protocols adopted for winemaking was made. Grape composition and the physicochemical and sensorial parameters of the wines were also characterized.

Conclusions:

A dossier has been developed with all the information needed to submit a request for Vale do São Francisco, located in northeastern Brazil to become a GI for still and sparkling tropical wines.

Significance and Impact of the Study: It will be the first GI for tropical wines in the world, using a similar structural model adopted by the European Union. It is expected that this will bring benefits to the wineries, as well as for all producers in general and for the working population involved in the grape and wine production chain in the region. The GI will improve the wine quality, recognition, reputation, valuation and promotion of all products, as it was observed for all GI obtained in the south of Brazil since 2002. Hence, the regional wine sector will improve its competitiveness, enotourism and attraction of new investments in the region.

DOI:

Publication date: March 25, 2021

Issue: Terroir 2020

Type : Video

Authors

Giuliano Elias Pereira1*, Jorge Tonietto1, Ivanira Falcade2, Carlos Alberto Flores3, Iêdo Bezerra Sá4, Tony Jarbas Ferreira Cunha4, Tatiana Ayako Taura4, Rosemary Hoff1, Mateus Rosas Ribeiro Filho5, Luciana Leite de Andrade Lima5, Celito Crivellaro Guerra1, Mauro Celso Zanus1, José Fernando da Silva Protas1, Magna Soelma Beserra de Moura4, João Ricardo Ferreira de Lima4, Francisco Macedo de Amorim6, Marcos dos Santos Lima6, Ricardo Henriques7, José Gualberto de Freitas Almeida8

1Embrapa Grape & Wine, Zip Code 95.701-008, Bento Gonçalves-RS, Brazil
2Universidade de Caxias do Sul-UCS, Zip Code 95.070-560, Caxias do Sul-RS, Brazil
3Embrapa Temperate Agriculture, Zip Code 96.010-971, Pelotas-RS, Brazil
4Embrapa Semi-Arid Region, Zip Code 56.302-970, Petrolina-PE, Brazil
5Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco-UFRPE, Zip Code 52.171-900, Recife-PE, Brazil
6Instituto Federal do Sertão Pernambucano, Zip Code 56.300-000, Petrolina-PE, Brazil
7Vitivinícola Santa Maria/Global Wines, Zip Code 56.395-000, Lagoa Grande-PE, Brazil
8Vinícola do Vale do São Francisco/Vinhovasf, Zip Code 56.380-000, Santa Maria da Boa Vista-PE, Brazil

Contact the author

Keywords

Vitis vinifera L, grape, wine, quality, typicality

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2020

Citation

Related articles…

Impact of yeast derivatives to increase the phenolic maturity and aroma intensity of wine

Using viticultural and enological techniques to increase aromatics in white wine is a prized yet challenging technique for commercial wine producers. Equally difficult are challenges encountered in hastening phenolic maturity and thereby increasing color intensity in red wines. The ability to alter organoleptic and visual properties of wines plays a decisive role in vintages in which grapes are not able to reach full maturity, which is seen increasingly more often as a result of climate change. A new, yeast-based product on the viticultural market may give the opportunity to increase sensory properties of finished wines. Manufacturer packaging claims these yeast derivatives intensify wine aromas of white grape varieties, as well as improve phenolic ripeness of red varieties, but the effects of this application have been little researched until now. The current study applied the yeast derivative, according to the manufacture’s instructions, to the leaves of both neutral and aromatic white wine varieties, as well as on structured red wine varieties. Chemical parameters and volatile aromatics were analyzed in grape musts and finished wines, and all wines were subjected to sensory analysis by a tasting panel. Collective results of all analyses showed that the application of the yeast derivative in the vineyard showed no effect across all varieties examined, and did not intensify white wine aromatics, nor improve phenolic ripeness and color intensity in red wine.

Towards adaptation to climate change in Rioja: Quality evaluation of wines obtained from Grenache x Tempranillo selections

The wine sector is of great relevance and tradition in Mediterranean countries, however, it may be most susceptible to climate change. In recent years, wine production is facing changes worldwide, both at environmental as well as commercial levels, due to global warming and the shift in consumers’ preferences. Wine growers and wine makers are in search of solutions that allow to face these new challenges. One of the most promising initiatives in the long term is the introduction of new plant materials, specifically intraspecific hybridizations between premium varieties that may improve traditional germplasm in its adaptation to climate change. These inter-varietal crosses have the potential to generate quality wines, whilst maintaining the regional typicity, and constitute an attractive alternative for the consumer due to their sensory attributes. In this study, we have evaluated wines from 29 intraspecific Garnacha x Tempranillo hybrids in two different locations, with the aim to assess their oenological potential and sensory attributes. Thirteen of the selections were white and 16 were red. Microvinifications were conducted with two or three replications depending on grape availability. Conventional oenological parameters were determined for all wines. The sensory evaluation and hedonic scores were given by five experts. Red selections obtained higher quality scores than white ones. Among the white selections with higher quality scores, GT-41 Varea and GT-159 Varea outstand, due to their high total acidity and high malic acid content. Regarding red selections, GT-57 Varea and GT-57 UR were perceived as higher in quality, highlighted for their moderate alcoholic and high anthocyanin content. Our results indicate that intraspecific hybridization may be a powerful tool for adapting traditional cultivars to climate change in Rioja.

Short-term relationships between climate and grapevine trunk diseases in southern French vineyards

[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"...

The plantation frame as a measure of adaptation to climate change

The mechanization of vineyard work originally led to a reduction in planting densities due to the lack of machinery adapted to the vineyard. The current availability of specific machinery makes it possible to establish higher planting densities. In this work, three planting densities (1.40×0.80 m, 1.80×1 m and 2.20×1.20 m, corresponding to 8928, 5555 and 3787 plants/ha respectively) were studied with four varieties autochthonous of Galicia (northwestern Spain): Albariño and Treixadura (white), Sousón and Mencía (red). The vines were trained in a vertical shoot positioning system using a single Royat cordon, and pruned to spurs with two buds each. Agronomic data (yield, pruning wood weight, Ravaz index) and oenological data in must were collected. The higher planting density (1.40×0.80 m) had no significant effect on grape yield per vine in white varieties, although production per hectare was much higher due to the greater number of plants. In red varieties, this planting density resulted in a significantly lower production per vine, compensated by the greater number of plants. In addition, it significantly reduced the Brix degree in the must of the Albariño, Treixadura and Sousón varieties, and increased the total acidity in the latter two and Mencía. It also caused an increase in extractable and total anthocyanins and IPT in red grapes. The effects of high planting density on grapes are of great interest for the adaptation of varieties in the context of climate change. In the future, it could be advisable to modify the limits imposed by the appellations of origin on the planting density of these varieties in order to obtain more balanced wines.

Impact of climate change on the viticultural climate of the Protected Designation of Origin “Jumilla” (SE Spain)

Protected Designation of Origin “Jumilla” (PDO Jumilla) is located in the Spanish provinces of Albacete and Murcia, in the South-eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula, where most of the models predict a severe impact of climate change in next decades. PDO Jumilla covers an area of 247,054 hectares, of which more than 22,000 hectares