Terroir 2006 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 International Terroir Conferences 9 Terroir 2006 9 Influence of vine water status (Terroir 2006) 9 Cover crop influence on water relations, yield, grape and wine composition of Pinot noir

Cover crop influence on water relations, yield, grape and wine composition of Pinot noir

Abstract

The effect of cover crop on the water relations, yield and grape composition of Pinot noir vines was investigated during two seasons (2003 and 2004) in a gravely soil located in Tarragona (Spain). Seventeen-year-old vines, grafted onto R110 and trained onto a Ballerina training system, were used. Treatments (Rye grass and a clean tillage control) were replicated four times in a block layout. Leaf water potential was measured during mid-day at pea size, véraison and ripeness stages. Berry composition was determined at ripeness. At harvest, yield components were determined and one wine made per treatment. Severe water stress occurred in 2003, which resulted in the grass cover treatment producing less leaf area per vine and a reduction in leaf water potential during the day. However, in 2004, significant differences occurred only at 8:00. The same pattern was observed for berry weight and the yield parameters; they were lower in 2003 with cover grass. The anthocyanin content, total soluble solids and titratable acidity decreased strongly after véraison, only in 2003. Grass cover had a negative effect on total phenol and alcohol contents of wines in the extremely dry year. Contrasting effects were found in 2004.

DOI:

Publication date: January 12, 2022

Issue: Terroir 2006

Type: Article

Authors

Montse NADAL

CeRTA, Dept de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Facultat d’Enologia de Tarragona. Universitat Rovira i Virgili,
Campus Sescelades, Marcel·lí Domingo, s/n, 43007 Tarragona, Espagne

Contact the author

Keywords

cover crop, leaf water potential, yield, ripeness, wine composition

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2006

Citation

Related articles…

Étude de la composante climatique du terroir viticole en Val de Loire : relation avec les facteurs physiques du milieu

The research carried out by the URVV of the INRA center in Angers aims to develop a methodology for the integrated characterization of the natural factors of viticultural terroirs, representative of the operating conditions of the vine and the sensory differences of the wines. In this context, the concept of Basic Terroir Unit (UTB) has been developed. The UTB represents a viticultural surface of variable geographical extension, defined as the association in a given place of a geological, pedological and landscape component, Morlat (1989), Riou et al. (1995).

ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY OF INACTIVATED NON-SACCHAROMYCES YEASTS

The importance of the non-Saccharomyces yeasts (NSY) in winemaking has been extensively reviewed in the past for their aromatic or bioprotective capacity while, recently their antioxidant/antiradical potential has emerged under winemaking conditions. In the literature the antioxidant potential of NSY was solely explored through their capacity to improve glutathione (GSH) content during alcoholic fermen- tation [1], while more and more studies pointed out the activity of the non-glutathione soluble fraction released by yeasts [2].

Hexose efflux from the peeled grape berry

After the onset of grape berry ripening, phloem unloading follows an apoplasmic route into the mesocarp tissue. In the apoplast, most of the unloaded sucrose is cleaved by cell wall invertases

Identification of γ-nonalactone precusor in Merlot and Cabernet-Sauvignon grapes

Wine flavor results on complexes interactions of odorous components, which come from different aromatic families like esters, thiols, aldehydes, pyrazines or lactones.

Prediction of the production kinetics of the main fermentative aromas in alcoholic fermentation

Fermentative aromas (especially esters and higher alcohols) highly impact the organoleptic profile of young and white wines. The production of these volatile compounds depends mainly on temperature and Yeast Available Nitrogen (YAN) content in the must. Available dynamic models predict the main reaction
(bioconversion of sugar into ethanol and CO2 production) but none of them considers the production kinetics of fermentative aroma compounds during the process of fermentation. We determined the production kinetics of the main esters and higher alcohols for different values of initial YAN content and temperature, using an innovative online monitoring Gas Chromatography device.