Fractal analysis as a tool for delimiting guarantee of quality areas

Condensed tannins (CTs), polymers of flavan-3-ols, are a class of polyphenolic compounds that play a significant role in the organoleptic qualities of red wines, particularly influencing color, astringency and bitterness. These properties are highly dependent on size and structure of these compounds.

This study present a detailed analysis of the rainfall and temperature changes in the Penedès region in the period 1995/ 96 – 2008/09, in comparison with the trends observed during the last 50 years, and its implications on phenology and yield.

Those previous years, pesticides are often brought to the forefront by media. Questions arose about their toxicity for growers and consumers. Even if a downward trend is underway, the use of pesticides is required to ensure steady quality and quantity of harvests. A large number of active ingredients are authorized but regarding viticulture, mainly insecticides and fungicides are applied, to control pests and diseases and to increase crop yield. Some phytosanitary products, principally fungicides, applied close to the harvest date may frequently be detected in wines.

L’AOC Priorat, située derrière les montagnes du pré littoral de Tarragone, se caractérise par un climat méditerranéen avec une tendance à la continentalité et très peu de précipitation pendant le cycle végétatif. Les sols sont secs, pauvres et caillouteux, formés par des schistes. Au cours des années 2000 et 2001, une étude de l’influence du terroir sur la typicité des vins du Priorat a été réalisée en prenant comme référence trois cépages cultivés dans différentes parceIles pour mesurer l’effet du terroir et du mésoclimat sur la qualité des vins:

Proximal sensors are becoming widely used in precision viticulture, due to the quick, easy and non-invasive identification of soil spatial variability. The apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) is the main parameter measured by sensors, which is correlated to many factors, like soil water content, salinity, clay content and mineralogy, rock fragments, bulk density, and porosity.