Effects of variety and vintage on the minerals of grape juice from a single vineyard

Abstract

The mineral composition of wine depends on the soil where the grapes are grown, and therefore has been used to distinguish the geographical origin of different wines. However, several factors, including grape variety and vintage, also alter the mineral content of wine. Here, we measured the concentration of 18 elements in 9–10 grape varieties grown in a single vineyard under the same conditions (soil, weather, pruning, and fertilizer) for three years to explore the variation in mineral composition within a vineyard. In principal component analysis, grape varieties were differentiated by the first principal component (PC1), which was mainly contributed by four elements (Ca, Sr, Ga, and Ba; loading score >0.7), while vintages were differentiated by PC2 and PC3, which were mainly contributed by three (Mg, P, and S) and one (Mn) elements, respectively (loading scores >0.7). Both grape variety and vintage affected grape mineral concentration; however, the extent of variation among grapes from our single vineyard was relatively small in comparison to variations previously reported among grapes from different vineyards.