The use of local knowledge relating to vineyard performance to identify viticultural terroirs in Stellenbosch and surrounds

The diversity of soil types in the Western Cape of South Africa leads to high levels of within-vineyard variability. Multispectral remote sensing has received a lot of attention recently in the South-African wine industry in an attempt to identify and deal with this variability.

There are fundamentally two different ways in which indications of geographical origin (igos) can be protected. The us approach favors the pre-existing trademark system through collective marks (cms), while the eu approach favors a maximalist approach via a sui generis system which promotes appellations of origin (aos). A consensus however emerges regarding the fundamental protection of origin against misleading, confusing and dilutive uses. Previous literature discusses these competing igo logics from historical, legal and international trade perspectives. In this paper, we depart from the field of social sciences, in particular from recent advancements in the well-established literature on proximities, in order to provide a reflection on the different logics underpinning the aos and cms systems.

The worldwide reputation of Sauvignon Blanc has led technicians to ask themselves various questions about the cultivation of this variety: choice of the most suitable localities, the most effective agronomic strategies and the most appropriate wine-growing techniques, to bring out its particular aroma.

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.

In sparkling wines, foam is a relevant aspect whose measurement method could affect the results. The shaking test (ST) is a simple method measuring foamability1,2