Macrowine 2021
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Quality of Merlot wines produced from terraced vineyards and vineyards on alluvial plains in Vipava valley, Slovenia (pdo)

Quality of Merlot wines produced from terraced vineyards and vineyards on alluvial plains in Vipava valley, Slovenia (pdo)

Abstract

AIM: Different factors affect the style and quality of wine and one of the most important are environmental factors of vineyard location. The aim of this study was to compare the quality of Merlot wines produced from grapes growing on skeletal and dry soils of terraced vineyards and deep loamy soils of alluvial plains of Vipava Valley, a warm climate winegrowing district in Slovenia.

METHODS: Five vineyards on terraces and five on alluvium plains were chosen. Viticulture parameters such as number of buds, number of clusters and leaf area on each vine were unified in 2019 and 2020 as described in Sivilotti et al. (2020). Stem water potential (SWP) was measured during the season (Deloire and Heyns, 2011). 5 kg of grapes were sampled in triplicates at the time of grape maturity. Basic physicochemical parameters of grapes were determined before microvinification. Microvinifications were analysed after alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. Concentration of total phenols (TP), total anthocyanins (TA), high (HMWP) and low molecular weight (LMWP) proanthocyanidins (PAS) were determined spectrophotometrically as described in Rigo et al. (2000). Moreover, structural characteristics of PAs in wines, i.e. mean degree of polymerisation (mDP), percentage of galloylaton (%G) and percentage of prodelphinidins (%P) were determined by UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS as described in Lisjak et al. (2019) and in Sivilotti et al. (2020). Esters were analysed by GC-MS (Bavčar and Baša Česnik, 2011) and higher alcohols by GC-FID (Bavčar et al., 2011).

RESULTS: SWP was more negative on terraces. According to basic physico chemical parameters and darker seed colour, grapes from terraces showed advanced ripening in comparison to grapes grown in alluvial plains. Wines from terraces had higher concentrations of TA, TP, HMWP, ash and total dry extract in comparison to wines from alluvial plains and PAs reported higher %G. Furthermore, aromatic profiles of wines were also different. In general, higher concentrations of higher alcohols and lower concentrations of esters were detected in wines from terraces.

CONCLUSIONS:

 The Merlot wines from grapes sampled in terraced vineyards differed in chemical composition from those from alluvial plains. In general, wines from terraces had higher polyphenol content, some quality parameters such as ash and total dry extract, structural differences of grape tannins and different profile of some aroma compounds

DOI:

Publication date: September 10, 2021

Issue: Macrowine 2021

Type: Article

Authors

Alenka Mihelčič

Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova ulica 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia ,Andreja VANZO, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova ulica 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Borut VRŠČAJ, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova ulica 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Paolo SIVILOTTI, University of Udine, via delle Scienze 206, 33100 Udine, Italy Klemen LISJAK, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova ulica 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Contact the author

Keywords

terraces, alluvial plains, soil, stem water potential, wine quality, polyphenols, volatile compounds

Citation

Related articles…

Influence Of Phytosterols And Ergosterol On Wine Alcoholic Fermentation For Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Strains

Sterols are a fraction of the eukaryotic lipidome that is essential for the maintenance of the cell membrane integrity and their good functionality. During alcoholic fermentation, they ensure yeast growth, metabolism and viability, as well as resistance to osmotic stress and ethanol inhibition. Two sterol sources can support yeasts to adapt to fermentation stress conditions: ergosterol, produced by yeast in aerobic conditions, and phytosterols, plant sterols found in grape musts imported by yeasts in anaerobiosis. Little is known about the physiological impact of the assimilation of phytosterols in comparison to ergosterol and the influence of sterol type on fermentation kinetics parameters.

Quantification of Eugenol in various matrixes from hybrids vines. Case study of Armagnac white spirits production

Nowadays, winemaking is dealing with great challenges, notably climate change, disease resistance and low pesticide inputs, desire for more sustainable agricultural productions and permanent changing of consumer preference.

Callinikos: the new white table grapeseedless variety for biological produce

This paper presents is the create, the study and amplographic description the new seedless grape variety «Callinicos» was created by P. Zamanidis at the Athens Vine Department

Everything else, it’s work ”Socio-cultural dimensions of terroir among Bordeaux winemakers

In 2010, the OIV adopted a resolution that defines ‘terroir’. The OIV definition understands terroir as the result of the interactions between the physical specificities of a space and human labor, with an emphasis on the subsequently produced collective knowledge (OIV-VITI 333-2010); by doing so, it alludes to the social and cultural dimensions of terroir.

An exploration of South Tyrolean Pinot blanc wines and their quality potential in vineyard sites across a range of altitudes

Aim: Pinot Blanc is the third most planted white wine grape in northern Italy’s region of South Tyrol, where small-scale viticultural production permits the examination of the wine’s diverse expressive potential in a small area across a wide range of climatic variables. This study aimed to explore the qualitative potential of Pinot Blanc across a range of climatic variation leading to site-specific terroir expression in a cool climate region.