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…

Influence of weather and climatic conditions on the viticultural production in Croatia

The research includes an analysis of the impact of weather conditions on phenological development of the vine and grape quality, through monitoring of four experimental cultivars (Chardonnay, Graševina, Merlot and Plavac mali) over two production years. In each experimental vineyard, which were evenly distributed throughout the regions of Slavonia and The Croatian Danube, Croatian Uplands,

Better understand the soil wet bulb formation with subsurface or aerial drip irrigation in viticulture

The gradual change in rainfall patterns experienced in the south of France vineyards, especially around the Mediterranean sea, means that the vines are increasingly subject to summer drought. The winegrowers developped the use of irrigation techniques to ensure the maintenance of competitive yields in the production of wines under Protected Geographical Indication label. In practice, drip irrigation pipes can be installed above the ground or buried into the soil as well as at different distances from the vine row. The objective of this study was to examine the profiles of the wet bulbs of the soil obtained from two drip irrigation systems : aerial drip located under the vine row and subsurface drip placed in the middle of the inter-row. This experiment took place over two consecutive seasons (2020-2021) on a 3.4 ha Viognier plot in the Mediterranean region (PGI Oc, France) on sandy clay soil. The annual rainfalls were less than 400 mm. Soil water content probes were installed at different depths (20 – 40 – 60 – 80 cm) and at different lateralities from the vine row (30 – 60 – 90 – 120 cm) to control the formation of the soil wet bulb during irrigation. The mapping and the analysis of the data allowed a better understanding and differentiation of the water percolation when irrigating with subsurface or aerial drip. For the same amount of water and without differences of vine water status, it is shown that in a subsurface drip irrigation situation, the size of the wet bulb formed is larger than in aerial drip irrigation system.

Current climate change in the Oplenac wine-growing district (Serbia)

Serbian autochthonous vine varieties Smederevka (for white wines) and Prokupac (for rosé and red wines) are the primary representatives of typical characteristics of wines and terroir of numerous wine-growing areas in Serbia. In the past, these varieties were the leading vine varieties, however, as the result of globalization of winemaking and the trend of consumption of wines from widely prevalent vine varieties, they were replaced by introduced international varieties. Smederevka and Prokupac vine varieties are characterized by later time of grape ripening, and relative sensitivity to low temperatures. Climate conditions can be a restrictive factor for production of high-quality grapes and wine and for the spatial spreading of these varieties in hilly continental wine-growing areas.
This paper focuses on the spatial analysis of changes of main climate parameters, in particular, analysis of viticultural bioclimatic indices that were determined for the purposes of viticulture zoning of wine-growing areas in the period 1961-2010, and those same parameters determined for the current, that is, referential climate period (1988-2017). Results of the research, that is, analysis of climate changes indicate that the majority of examined climate parameters in the Oplenac wine-growing district improved from the perspective of Smederevka and Prokupac vine varieties. These studies of climate conditions indicate that changes of analyzed climate parameters, that is, bioclimatic indices will be favorable for cultivation of varieties with later grape ripening times and those more sensitive to low temperatures, such as the autochthonous vine varieties Smederevka and Prokupac, therefore, it is recommended to producers to more actively plant vineyards with these varieties in the territory of the Oplenac wine-growing district.

Late frost protection in Champagne

Probably one of the most counterintuitive impacts of climate change on vine is the increased frequency of late frost. Champagne, due to its septentrional position is historically and regularly affected by this meteorological hazard. Champagne has therefore developed a strong experience in frost protection with first experiments dating from the end of 19th century. Frost protection can be divided in two parts: passive and active. Passive protection includes all the methods that do not seek to modify the vine’s environment or resistance at the time of frost. The most iconic passive protection in Champagne is the establishment of the individual reserve. This reserve allows to stock a certain quantity of clear wine during a surplus year to compensate a meteorological hazard like frost during the following years. Other common passive methods are the control of planting area (walls, bushes, topography), the choice of grape variety, late pruning, or the impact of grass cover and tillage. Active frost protection is also divided in two parts. Most of the existing techniques tend to modify vine’s environment. Most of the time they provide warmth (candles, heaters, windmills, heating cables…), or stabilise bud’s temperature above a lethal threshold (water sprinkling). The other way to actively fight is to enhance the resistance of buds to frost (elicitors). The Comité Champagne evaluates frost protection methods following three main axes: the efficiency, the profitability, and the environmental impact through a lifecycle assessment. This study will present the results on both passive and active protection following these three axes.

Phenolic composition of Tempranillo Blanco grapes changes after foliar application of urea

Our research aimed to determine the effect and efficiency of foliar application of urea on the phenolic composition of Tempranillo Blanco grapes. The field experiment was carried out in 2019 and 2020 seasons and the plot was located in D.O.Ca Rioja (North of Spain). The vineyard was Vitis vinifera L. Tempranillo Blanco and grafted on Richter-110 rootstock. The treatments were control (C), whose plants were sprayed with water and three doses of urea: plants were sprayed with urea 3 kg N/ha (U3), 6 kg N/ha (U6) and 9 kg N/ha (U9). The applications were performed in two phenological stages, pre-veraison (Pre) and veraison (Ver). Also, each of the treatments was repeated one week later. Control and treatments were performed in triplicate and arranged in a randomised block design. Grapes were harvested at optimum ripening stage. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to analyse the phenolic composition of the grapes. Finally, the results obtained from the analytical determinations – flavonols, flavanols and non-flavonoid (hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids and stilbenes) – were studied statistically by analysis of variance. The results showed that, in 2019, U6-Pre and U9-Pre treatments increased the hydroxybenzoic acid content in grapes, and also all foliar treatments applied at Pre enhanced the stilbene concentration. Moreover, U3-Ver was the only treatment that rose flavonol and stilbene contents in the Tempranillo Blanco grapes. In 2020, all treatments applied at Pre enhanced the flavonol concentration in grapes. Furthermore, U3-Pre and U9-Pre treatments increased stilbene content in grapes. Nevertheless, the hydroxybenzoic acid content was improved by U6-Ver and U9-Ver and besides, hydroxycinnamic acid concentration in grapes was increased by all treatments applied at Ver. In conclusion, the lower and highest dose of urea (U3 and U9), applied at pre-veraison, were the best treatments to improve the Tempranillo Blanco grape phenolic composition.