Influenza dell’esposizione del vigneto sulla maturazione dell’uva

Abstract

[English version below]

Lo studio è stato condotto in vigneti commerciali di Vitis vinifera cv Nebbiolo localizzati in Piemonte, Italia del Nord-Ovest, intorno alla sommità di una collina. L’obiettivo dello studio è stato di determinare come l’esposizione del vigneto possa influenzare il comportamento vegetativo della vite, il manifestarsi delle fasi fenologiche, e la cinetica di maturazione dell’uva con particolare riguardo all’accumulo di antociani e flavonoli. Le esposizioni più meridionali hanno indotto precocità di germogliamento e fioritura ma diminuzione della fertilità per gemma e, di conseguenza, della resa per pianta influenzando anche il peso dei grappoli, degli acini e delle bucce; hanno promosso una maggiore concentrazione dei solidi solubili nelle ultime fasi di maturazione ma la sintesi degli antociani e dei flavonoli ha subito un rallentamento durante le fasi tardive di maturazione. L’esposizione occidentale ha favorito il ritardo delle fasi fenologiche e un aumento della fertilità per gemma, del peso del grappolo e della resa produttiva, determinando un minore accumulo di solidi solubili nel mosto ma una maggiore sintesi di antociani. Si è evidenziata, in oltre, una probabile influenza della temperatura non solo sulla sintesi degli antociani ma anche dei flavonoli delle bucce.

The study was conducted in Sinio (Piedmont, Northwest Italy) in commercial vineyards of Vitis vinifera cv. Nebbiolo, situated on the top of a 30 % slope hillside, thus they were differently exposed: two of these (A) was exposed to South, another (B) to East-South-East, the fourth (C) to West-North-West. The clone CVT 141 grafted onto 420 A, was cultivated in every vineyard. Vines were VSP trained and pruned to the Guyot system (10 bud cane plus 2 bud spur). Vine theoretical density was 5200 vine/ha. The aim of this study was to determine how the vineyard exposition influences vine vegetative behaviour, phenological phase timing, grape ripening kinetic and grape properties including colour and flavonols. The results were used to characterize the vineyards in a sort of farm zoning, helping to choose the best technical management.
The 2009 vintage was characterized by a very rainy winter and spring, and a very hot summer (from mid July until the beginning of September the maximum temperature, as average, exceeded 32 °C). Bud burst and flowering resulted delayed in C, respect to A and B vineyards, whereas bud fertility was higher in C. That fact induced a higher bunch weight (313 g) in vineyard facing West (C), respect to those Southward (A and D) where bunch weight was similar (224 g) also thanks to a higher berry mass (1.87 g in A and D, 2.09 g in B, and 2.07 g in C). Furthermore, vineyard exposition influenced the vine vigour and yield that in C and D were twice that in A and B vineyards. Soluble solid content at harvest appeared higher in A, B and D (24.3 Brix as average) than in C vineyard (23.7 Brix). Southern expositions (A and D) delayed the beginning of veraison and reduced the anthocyanin concentration at harvest (600 mg/kg) respect to B (670 mg/kg) and C (770 mg/k); further differences among vineyards were observed both in the pattern of flavonol accumulation and in their concentration at harvest. In synthesis the Southern expositions advanced the phenological phases and decreased bud fertility, yield per vine and weight of bunches, berries and berry skins. In addition, it promoted a high concentration of soluble solids at harvest but not of anthocyanins whose concentration slowed down during the late phases of ripening. Western exposition (C) promoted a delay of phenological phases, and an increase of bud fertility, bunch weight and yield per vine; it induced a medium accumulation of soluble solids but the highest synthesis of anthocyanins. Due to the global warming we can expect a high variability between vintages from a weather point of view. We think that a sort of farm zoning matched with data obtained from observations executed in successive vintages could be a useful help to choose the best technical management for a specific year and to foresee in advance the vintage results.

DOI:

Publication date: December 3, 2021

Issue: Terroir 2010

Type: Article

Authors

Guidoni S., Gangemi L., Ferrandino A.

Dipartimento di Colture Arboree, Università di Torino, Via L. Da Vinci, 44. 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy

Contact the author

Keywords

Nebbiolo, fasi fenologiche, produttività, antociani, flavonoli
Nebbiolo, phenological phases, yield, anthocyanins, flavonols

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2010

Citation

Related articles…

Bioclimatic shifts and land use options for Viticulture in Portugal

Land use, plays a relevant role in the climatic system. It endows means for agriculture practices thus contributing to the food supply. Since climate and land are closely intertwined through multiple interface processes, climate change may lead to significant impacts in land use. In this study, 1-km observational gridded datasets are used to assess changes in the Köppen–Geiger and Worldwide Bioclimatic (WBCS)

Exploring resilience and competitiveness of wine estates in Languedoc-Roussillon in the recent past: a multi-level perspective

The Languedoc-Roussillon wineries are facing a decline in wine yields particularly PGI yields due to many factors. Climate change is just ones, but is expected to increase in the future. There is also structurally a large heterogeneity of yield profiles among terroirs, varieties and strategies. This work investigates the link between yield, competitiveness and resilience to explore how resilient winegrowers have been in the recent past. To this end two approaches have been combined; (i) an accountancy database analysis at estate scale and (ii) municipality level competitiveness analysis. A new resilience indicator that characterizes the capacity of an estate to absorb yield variation is also defined. The FADN database between 2000 and 2018 of ex-Languedoc-Roussillon (France) and other data are used to analyse the current situation and the past evolution of competitiveness and resilience by type of estate (type of farm: PGI and/or PDO & type of commercialization: bulk and/or bottles). The net margin, which defines competitiveness, is not correlated to yield for all types but depends on the type of commercialization and the level of specialisation. The resilience indicator shows that the net margin of estates specialized in PGI is particularly sensitive to yield declines. We also show that price evolutions seem to compensate the effect of yield losses for the majority of types. Municipality scale analysis shows the links between local pedoclimate, yield, commercialization strategies and price. Overlapping a PDO with a PGI does not always increase a municipality’s PGI competitiveness. It is difficult to make links between causes and effects due to the complexity of the wine production system. Production diversification may be a solution. Resorting to the two level of analysis helps resolving the data gap that is necessary to explore the links between yield and economic performance of the wine estates in the long term.

Grapevine varietal diversity as mitigation tool for climate change: Agronomic and oenologic potential of 14 foreign varieties grown in Languedoc region (France)

Climate change effects in Languedoc include an expected rise in temperatures, increased evapotranspiration as well as more severe and frequent climatic hazards, such as frost, drought periods and heat waves. For winegrowers theses phenomena impact both yield and quality, resulting in more frequent unbalanced wines. Research on identified mitigation tools for vineyard management is necessary to improve resilience of grapevine agrosystems. Varietal assortment is one of them. This study focuses on agronomic and oenologic potential of 14 foreign varieties grown in Languedoc French region. Fourteen grapevine varieties were monitored during 2021 from June until harvest on eight different sites, some of which occurring on more than one site adding up to 21 different modalities: 7 white varieties Alvarinho B, Assyrtiko B (2), Malvasia Istriana B, Parellada B, Verdejo B, Verdelho B, Xarello B, and 7 black varieties Saperavi N (2), Touriga nacional N, Baga N, Aleatico N, Montepulciano N (2), Primitivo N (3), Calabrese N (3). Varietals were compared through the following parameters: phenology was assessed by using the information collected in the Database Network of French Vine Conservatories (INRAE-SupAgro-IFV, 2005-2015). The number of inflorescences for shoots from secondary buds and bourillons and suckers were observed to assess post-bud break frost tolerance potential. Grapevine water status was studied through stem water potential measurement, observation of foliage symptoms of drought, and 𝛿13C on must. Frequencies and intensities of downy mildew, powdery mildew, and black rot attacks were estimated before harvest on leaves and clusters and botrytis at harvest to assess disease susceptibilities. Berry composition was monitored from end of veraison until harvest. Yield and mean bunch weight were also calculated. Varieties were then ranked on a 1-4 scale for each parameter and compared through PCA. Forty two stations of the Mediterranean basin were compared by PCA with the Multicriteria Climatic Classification indicators in order to confront the collected information during 2021 campaign to the hypothesis that plants coming from dry and hot regions are genetically adapted to such climatic conditions.

Estimating bulk stomatal conductance of grapevine canopies

In response to changes in their environment, grapevines regulate transpiration using various physiological mechanisms that alter conductance of water through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. Expressed as bulk stomatal conductance at the canopy scale, it varies diurnally in response to changes in vapor pressure deficit and net radiation, and over the season to changes in soil water deficits and hydraulic conductivity of both soil and plant. It is necessary to characterize the response of conductance to these variables to better model how vine transpiration also responds to these variables. Furthermore, to be relevant for vineyard-scale modeling, conductance is best characterized using data collected in a vineyard setting. Applying a crop canopy energy flux model developed by Shuttleworth and Wallace, bulk stomatal conductance was estimated using measurements of individual vine sap flow, temperature and humidity within the vine canopy, and estimates of net radiation absorbed by the vine canopy. These measurements were taken on several vines in a non-irrigated vineyard in Bordeaux France, using equipment that did not interfere with ongoing vineyard operations. An inverted Penman-Monteith equation was then used to calculate bulk stomatal conductance on 15-minute intervals from July to mid-September 2020. Time-series plots show significant diurnal variation and seasonal decreases in conductance, with overall values similar to those in the literature. Global sensitivity analysis using non-parametric regression found transpiration flux and vapor pressure deficit to be the most important input variables to the calculation of bulk stomatal conductance, with absorbed net radiation and bulk boundary layer conductance being much less important. Conversely, bulk stomatal conductance was one of the most important inputs when calculating vine transpiration, further emphasizing the need for characterizing its response to environmental changes for use in vineyard water use modeling.

Climate and the evolving mix of grape varieties in Australia’s wine regions

The purpose of this study is to examine the changing mix of winegrape varieties in Australia so as to address the question: In the light of key climate indicators and predictions of further climate change, how appropriate are the grape varieties currently planted in Australia’s wine regions? To achieve this, regions are classified into zones according to each region’s climate variables, particularly average growing season temperature (GST), leaving aside within-region variations in climates. Five different climatic classifications are reported. Using projections of GSTs for the mid- and late 21st century, the extent to which each region is projected to move from its current zone classification to a warmer one is reported. Also shown is the changing proportion of each of 21 key varieties grown in a GST zone considered to be optimal for premium winegrape production. Together these indicators strengthen earlier suggestions that the mix of varieties may be currently less than ideal in many Australian wine regions, and would become even less so in coming decades if that mix was not altered in the anticipation of climate change. That is, grape varieties in many (especially the warmest) regions will have to keep changing, or wineries will have to seek fruit from higher latitudes or elevations if they wish to retain their current mix of varieties and wine styles.