Geochemistry of Vrbničko Polje (Croatia) winegrowing site

The aim of this study was to evaluate the evolution of different chemical parameters and sensory impact on red wine during maturation in barrels or with new technologies

In most viticultural regions, grapevines are cultivated grafted, employing either hybrid or pure species of various American Vitis spp., such as V. berlandieri, V. rupestris, and V. riparia, as grapevine rootstocks. These rootstocks play a crucial role in providing resistance to the Phylloxera insect pest. Beyond Phylloxera resistance, it is desirable for grapevine rootstocks to exhibit resistance to other soil-borne pathogens and adaptability to abiotic stress conditions. The introduction of new rootstocks holds promise for adapting agriculture to climate change without altering the characteristics of the final harvested product.

Volatile thiols are impact aroma compounds, well-known in the literature for imparting tropical fruit aromas such as passion fruit, guava, grapefruit, and citrus in white wines [1]. More recent evidence suggests that tropical fruit aromas are also caused by other aroma compounds besides thiols, such as fermentation esters, or the interaction between these volatile families. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of combining esters and/or thiols to determine their impact on the fruitiness aroma perception of white wines. Pinot gris wine was produced at the OSU research winery and was dearomatized using Lichrolut® EN. Combinations of fermentation volatile compounds were added to the wine, forming the aroma base. Treatment wines were composed of additions of different concentrations and combinations of thiols and/or esters. Samples were subjected to sensory analysis where forty-six white wine consumers evaluated the orthonasal aroma of the wines and participated in Check-All-That-Apply (CATA).

Vineyard nutrient management is crucial for reaching production-specific quality standards, yet timely evaluation of nutrient status remains challenging. The existing sampling protocol of collecting vine tissue (leaves and/or petioles) at bloom or veraison is time-consuming. Additionally, this sampling practice is too late for in-season fertilizer applications (e.g. N is applied well before bloom). Therefore alternative early-season protocols are necessary to predict the vine nutrient demand for the upcoming season. The main goals of this project are to 1) optimize existing tissue sampling protocols; 2) determine the amount of nutrients removed at the end of the growing season.

Plants have been shown to redistribute water between root sections and soil layers along a gradient of decreasing water availability. One benefit of this hydraulic redistribution is that water can be transported from roots in wet soil to others in dry soil, delaying the onset of water stress and increasing root longevity in dry environments. Grapevines are thought to redistribute water laterally across the trunk from wet to dry portions of the root system. However, it is unknown whether the phloem contributes to such water redistribution.