Geochemistry of Vrbničko Polje (Croatia) winegrowing site

Clonal evaluation of winegrapes in California has not been extensive. Early selection work by Alley (1977), Olmo (unpublished data) and Goheen (personal communication) resulted in the current collection

In this study, a soil mapping methodology at subplot level (scale 1:5000) for vineyard soils was developed. The aim of this mapping method was to establish mapping units, which could be used as basic units for ‘terroir’ characterisation and vineyard management (precision viticulture).

Context description and research question: an increasing number of farmers are considering the impact of conservation practices on soil health to guide sustainable management of vineyards. Understanding impacts of soil management on soil organic carbon (SOC) is one lever for adoption of agroecological practice with potential to help maintain or improve soil health while building SOC stocks to mitigate climate change (Amelung et al., 2020).

At CREA – Centro di Ricerca di Viticoltura ed Enologia, based in Velletri (RM), an experimental vineyard including 10 downy mildew resistent/tolerant grape varieties and two susceptible varieties was set up with the principal goal to evaluate the behavoir of these varieties in term of resistance to downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola). This evaluation, together to oenological studies, are necessary to register them also in Regional Register (in Lazio region). Monitoring of behavior towards Plasmopara viticulture of resistant vines were done in 2020 and 2021 at different times (phenological stages) and until harvesting, according to an international standard code BBCH a centesimal phenological scale, based on coding system.

The work was aimed at comparing some analytical methods used to characterize oenological tannins and the measure of oxygen consumption rate (OCR), in order to provide oenologists with a rapid method to test the antioxidant capacity of tannin based products and a tool to choose the best suited product for each purpose.