Terroir 2020 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 A vine physiology-based terroir study in the AOC-Lavaux region in Switzerland

A vine physiology-based terroir study in the AOC-Lavaux region in Switzerland

Abstract

OENO One – Special issue

Understanding how different pedoclimatic conditions interact with vine and berry physiology, and subsequently impact wine quality, is paramount for an good valorization of viticultural terroirs and can help to optimize mitigation strategies in the face of global warming.
The aim of the present study was to establish terroir zones in a steep slope region in Switzerland based on vine and berry physiology. The study area, Villette in the AOC Lavaux, was a unique experimental site due to the homogeneity of plant material in a relatively small microclimate (140 ha) and a multiplicity of different expositions, soil types and altitudes. Vine and berry physiology as well as temperature of twenty-two plots were monitored during three consecutive seasons to investigate whether a link with pedoclimatic parameters can be established.

The annual temporal variation of the average temperature was 142 growing degree days (GDD) over all years. Remarkably, spatial temperature variability was twice as high, with a variation between most extreme plots of 395 GDDs on average over all years. PCA and hierarchical clustering of assessed vine and berry physiological parameters resulted in a vintage dependent grouping of plots differing between years, which was not congruent with geological entities. This highlights the importance of the vintage effect, which had a large influence on vine and berry physiology and impacted terroir zones more than soil groups. Important differences in budburst and flowering were observed between plots, whereas altitude was the main driver of precocity in all years, being relatively independent of the vintage, which confirms the importance of topography in viticultural terroirs.

Download the PDF

DOI:

Publication date: March 16, 2021

Issue: Terroir 2020

Type: Video

Authors

Markus Rienth1*, Frédéric Lamy1, Patrick Schoenenberger1, Dorothea Noll1, Fabrice Lorenzini2, Olivier Viret4and Vivian Zufferey3

1 Changins, University of Sciences and Art Western Switzerland, Changins College for Viticulture and Enology, route de Duillier 60, 1260 Nyon, Switzerland
2 Agroscope, route de Duillier 50, 1260 Nyon, Switzerland
3 Agroscope, avenue Rochettaz 21, 1009 Pully, Switzerland
4 Service de leo’agriculture et de la viticulture (SAVI), Avenue de Marcelin 29, 1110 Morges, Switzerland

Contact the author

Keywords

Viticultural terroir, berry ripening, temperature variability, phenology, climate change

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2020

Citation

Related articles…

Health benefits of winemaking by-products: in vitro study of the phenolic profile and potential healthy properties

The wine sector plays a significant role in the international agri-food industry, with the winemaking process leading to the generation of considerable amounts of by-products. Among these by-products, grape pomace, is one of the most abundant resources, mainly finding application in the production of distillates, fertilizers, and animal feed.

Read More

Defoliation combined with exogenous ABA application results in slower ripening and improved anthocyanin profile

Reducing sugar accumulation in grape (Vitis vinifera L.) berries may be a way to mitigate the effect of climate change. Managing canopy and crop load is an effective way to do so, however, reducing canopy size has been demonstrated to induce undesirable effects on anthocyanins. The aim of this study was to test if an application of exogenous ABA on the grape berries of defoliated vines (⅔ of the leaves removed) can result in slower sugar accumulation while maintaining grape and wine quality. An experiment with defoliation and exogenous ABA application on directly on clusters (factorial design 2×2) was performed with ‘Tempranillo’ fruit-bearing cuttings.

Read More

Using 1H-NMR combined with chemometrics to discriminate the effect of different cuts and toasting of woods used for grape pomace distillate ageing

The purpose of this research study is to consider new solutions for distillate ageing, in alternative to conventional oak chips or barrels in particular sliced wood and peeled wood were compared to oak cubes, normally employed during both wine and distillate ageing.

Read More

Correction de la teneur en alcool des vins par évaporation partielle sous vide en cours de fermentation alcoolique

Climate change has become a reality that is becoming more and more apparent every day, with changes in the physico-chemical composition of grapes and an increase in the alcohol content of finished wines. These higher alcoholic degrees are not without consequences for the success of alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. Correcting the alcohol content (-20% of the initial alcoholic strength) is also part of an approach designed to meet consumer expectations for healthier, lighter or lower-alcohol wines (9 to 13% vol.). Correcting the alcohol content of wines also rebalances the mouthfeel by reducing the alcohol’s burn.

Read More

IMPACT OF MUST NITROGEN DEFICIENCY ON WHITE WINE COMPOSITION DEPENDING ON GRAPE VARIETY

Nitrogen (N) nutrition of the vineyard strongly influences the must and the wine compositions. Several chemical markers present in wine (i.e., proline, succinic acid, higher alcohols and phenolic compounds) have been proposed for the cultivar Chasselas, as indicators of N deficiency in the grape must at harvest [1]. Grape genetics potentially influences the impact of N deficiency on grape composition, as well as on the concentration of potential indicators in the wine. The goal of this study was to evaluate if the che- mical markers found in Chasselas wine can be extended for other white wines to indicate N deficiency in the grape must.

Read More