Abstract
The best Lambrusco wines are often obtained by blending a representative of the Lambrusco family (i.e. Lambrusco Salamino) with a smaller fraction of Ancellotta, a teinturier variety possessing an extraordinary quality of accumulating color. Due to the economic importance of the Lambrusco business and the rising interest in precision viticulture, a two-year trial was carried out in seven vineyard plots growing both the named varieties. A RapidEye satellite image taken on 9 August 2018, led to vigor maps based on unfiltered normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). In both the years, ground truthing was performed on the test vines chosen within each vigor area for soil features, vegetative growth, yield, grape, and final wine composition. For data pooled over sites and years, Ancellotta showed a very clear response to NDVA-based vigor mapping as low vigor areas always achieved improved ripening in terms of higher total soluble solids (+1.24 Brix), color and phenols (+0.36 mg/kg and + 0.44mg/kg, respectively), and lower malate (-1.79 g/L) vs high vigor. Such a behavior was shown even in those cases where NDVI of different vigor levels and pruning weight were not closely correlated and, most notably, low vigor matched with a slightly higher yield as compared to high vigor plots. Overall, the high yielding Lambrusco Salamino was less responsive in terms of vine performance and grape composition versus intra-vineyard variability. This study highlights that, in Ancellotta, adjusting the vine balance toward ostensible lower vigor (i.e pruning weight ≤ 1 kg/m) would result in a superior choice in terms of improved ripening and wine profiles would not be detrimentally impacted by the yield level which, in fact, increased in some cases.
Highlights
The best Lambrusco wines are often obtained by blending a representative of the Lambrusco family (i.e., Lambrusco Salamino) with a smaller fraction of Ancellotta, a teinturier variety possessing an extraordinary quality of accumulating color
The purpose of this study was i) to provide ground truthing on a two-year basis of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)-based vigor maps created from satellite imagery in three different farms growing Lambrusco Salamino, one of the best representative cultivars of the Lambrusco family, and Ancellotta; and ii) to determine if and how assessed and ground truthed intravineyard variability should lead to a change in the current cultural practices
Composite soil samples taken at six positions over different sites to represent either cultivar and vigor level variability showed that soils sampled at Sabbattini had overall higher sand fraction than the other two sites, all of the samples shared features of no apparent limiting factors for root development, abundant organic matter, and adequate total nitrogen availability (Supplemental Table 1)
Summary
The best Lambrusco wines are often obtained by blending a representative of the Lambrusco family (i.e., Lambrusco Salamino) with a smaller fraction of Ancellotta, a teinturier variety possessing an extraordinary quality of accumulating color. For data pooled over sites and years, Ancellotta showed a very clear response to NDVI-based vigor mapping, as low vigor areas always achieved improved ripening in terms of higher total soluble solids (+1.24 Brix), color and phenols (+0.36 mg/kg and +0.44 mg/kg, respectively), and lower malate (-1.79 g/L) versus high vigor. Such a behavior was shown even in those cases where NDVI of different vigor levels and pruning weight were not closely correlated and, most notably, low vigor matched with a slightly higher yield as compared to high vigor plots. Once proper spatial in-field variability is described and quantified, the same can either be exploited
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
