Mapping terroirs at the reconnaissance level, by matching soil, geology, morphology, land cover and climate databases with viticultural and oenological results from experimental vineyards

NIR spectroscopy has widely been tested in viticulture as powerful alternative to traditional analytical methods in the field of quality evaluation. NIR instruments have been used for assessing must and wine quality features in several works, but little information regarding their application on whole berries for polyphenol determination is available.

Growing concerns over the environmental and health risks posed by chemical pesticides have highlighted the need to reduce their use in the agri-food sector.

“Sangiovese” (Vitis vinifera L. sativa cv. Sangiovese) is the main grape variety to be established in Italy, being the only country in Europe where this grape is commonly found.

Laboratório de Análisis del Aroma y Enologia (LAAE). Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain, During alcoholic fermentation, fusel (or Strecker) aldehydes are intermediates in the amino acid catabolism to form fusel alcohols following the Ehrlich Pathway (1). One of the main enzymes involved in this pathway is Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH), whose activity is highly strain dependent and determines the rate of conversion of aldehydes into fusel alcohols (2). This enzyme has a Zn2+ catalytic binding site, which suggests that the must Zn2+ levels will most likely influence the rate of reduction of aldehydes into alcohols. On the other hand, SO2 is commonly used in winemaking for its antiseptic and antioxidant properties.

Different terroirs have been identified in Bolgheri area (a viticultural appellation in the Tirrenian coast of Tuscany) by the aid of pedological, landscape and agronomic observations in 1993. Numerous preliminary observations suggested that wines obtained from these different terroirs were unique.