Spatial variability of the nutrient distribution in Jerez vineyard soils (Spain)

Disease-resistant hybrid grape cultivars (DRHGCs) are hybrids of Vitis vinifera varieties with other Vitis species, and they are endowed with greater resistance to specific fungal diseases, enabling a potential reduction in the application of pesticides in the vineyard.

Not only vintner’s decisions in the vineyard, but also winemaker’s choices of technology approaches in the cellar play a significant role in the final wine style and quality. Whereas traditional technologies within chosen terroir are quite well explored and thus somehow predictable, there is no proper knowledge available on possible outcomes in case of implementing novel, alternative winemaking strategies. To reveal their effects on wine aroma compounds and sensory characteristics, two alternative strategies
(cryoextraction or addition of whole grape berries during last stages of fermentation) were compared to classical Vipava valley winemaking approach as normally used for an autochthonous variety Zelen. After separate vinification and bottling, all the experimental wines were subjected to semiquantitative metabolic profiling of volatile compounds (VOCs) by means of GC/MS and were then also sensorialy evaluated by pre-trained panel.

The gustatory balance of dry wines is centered on three flavors, sourness, bitterness and sweetness. Even if certain compounds were already identified as contributing to sweetness, some taste modifications remain largely unexplained1,2. Some empirical observations combined with sensory analyzes have shown that an increase of wine sweetness occurs during post-fermentation maceration³. This step is a key stage of red winemaking during which the juice is left in contact with the marc, that contains the solid parts of the grape (seeds, skins and sometimes stems). This work aimed to identify a new taste-active compound that contributes to this gain of sweetness.

The poster presents the results of the 3rd year of activity of the project “Characterization of the wine productions of the italian regions. The DOC wine Colli Piacentini Gutturnio”.

Aims: The aims of this study were to (1) assess the response of the indigenous Cypriot variety Xynisteri to different irrigation regimes and (2) compare the performance of Xynisteri to Sauvignon Blanc grown in pots with different irrigation regimes.