Vintage is part of « terroir ». The aim of this work is to study, through vine and berry parameters, the effect of vintage on the three major red grape varieties in Côtes du Rhône : Grenache N, Syrah N and Mourvedre N. We first characterized vintages 1997 to 2003, highlighting similar features in grape development across the different cultivars since 2001 only. Then we showed that vintage becomes the major effect only if vine vigour is stabilized. Indeed, there is a strong relationship between an excess of vigour and berry size on Grenache and Mourvedre, whereas fertility of Syrah is reduced when vigour is decreased. This work has to be continued by integrating meteorological data, to explore more precisely the effect of vintage on vine and grape development.
Authors: Pierre VITAL, Christian AGUT and Francis FABRE
Syndicat Général des Vignerons Réunis des Côtes du Rhône
Service technique. Institut Rhodanien. 2260 Rte du Grès. 84100 Orange, France
Emails: p.vital@syndicat-cotesdurhone.com; c.agut@syndicat-cotesdurhone.com
Keywords: Vintage, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Côtes du Rhône