The impact of differences in soil texture within a vineyard on vine development and wine quality

In viticulture, the concept of terroir is often used to enlighten the environmental-based typicity of grapevines grown in a local area however its scientific basis remains under debate. Grape polyphenols as key player of the plant defense system enables adaptation to environmental changes and so far, form a unique metabolic component to investigate the terroir influence.

Prior to winemaking, organic or mineral nitrogen compound concentrations are usually measured in the vineyard and in grape musts. These indicators facilitate vine cultivation decisions, usually through yield or vigor. During vinification, yeast and bacteria metabolize nitrogen compounds in the musts in order to generate biomass. After fermentation, the microorganisms rerelease a part of this nitrogen as soluble compounds into the wines. Another part remains bound in the lees and can be lost during racking. The must’s natural nitrogen quantities, additional supplements during fermentation, and lees contact management enhance the release of nitrogen compounds to the wines. During ageing these nitrogen compounds – primarily the amino acids – are implicated in the generation of odorous compounds such as heterocycles(1).

Vineyard cover cropping is a cultural practice widely used in many of the world’s winegrowing regions being one of the most recommended practices to face climate changes and to promote vineyard environmental sustainability.

The increasing frequency of heat waves during grape ripening presents challenges for the production of high-quality wine grapes. This underscores the significance of developing effective irrigation and canopy management techniques to optimize both yield and grape quality.
A field experiment was carried out during 2021 and 2022 using Manto negro wine grapes to study the effect of two irrigation strategies and different light exposure levels on grape quality. In a four-block experimental vineyard at Bodega Ribas in Mallorca, two irrigation treatments—moderate and severe deficit irrigation—were implemented. Within each irrigation plot, three light exposure treatments were randomly assigned, encompassing exposed clusters from pea size, non-exposed clusters, and shaded clusters after softening.

New and developing technologies, that provide sensors and the software systems for using and interpreting them, are becoming pervasive through our lives and society. From smart phones to cars to farm machinery, all contain a range of sensors that are monitored automatically with intelligent software, providing us with the information we need, when we need it. This technological revolution has the potential to monitor all aspects of vineyard activity, assisting growers to make the management choices they need to achieve the outcomes they want. For example, a future vineyard may possess automated imaging that generates a three dimensional model of the vine canopy, highlighting differences from the desired structure and how to use canopy management to improve fruit composition, or generates maps with yield estimates and measurements of berry composition throughout the growing season.