Grape Composition Research Articles

Effects of Water Deficit Irrigation on Phenolic Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Monastrell Grapes under Semiarid Conditions.

The high phenolic compound content of grapes makes them an important source of natural antioxidants, among other beneficial health properties. Vineyard irrigation might affect berry composition and quality. Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) is a widely used strategy to reduce the possible negative impact of irrigation on grapes, improving grape composition and resulting in water savings. Monastrell grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) grown in eastern Spain were subjected to two water regime strategies: rainfed (non-irrigation) and RDI. The content of anthocyanins, flavonols, flavanols, hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids, and stilbenes was determined by HPLC and was related with total phenolic content and three antioxidant activity methods (ABTS, DPPH, and ORAC). The study aimed to evaluate and compare the phenolic composition and antioxidant potential of Monastrell grapes. The rainfed regime concentrated grapes in terms of phenolic compounds. Thus, total content of anthocyanins, flavonols, flavanols, hydroxybenzoic acids, and total phenols were higher in the rainfed grapes than in the RDI ones. Besides, the rainfed grapes doubled their antioxidant potential with respect to the RDI grapes with the ORAC method. Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity by ORAC assay positively correlated with most of the total phenolic compounds analyzed. This study demonstrates how field practices can modulate final grape composition in relation to their antioxidant activity.

Phenolic Composition of Grape Stems from Different Spanish Varieties and Vintages.

Grape stems are a by-product from the wine industry that has been underused to date despite having great potential for the agro-food and cosmetic industries. The aim of the present work was to characterize grape stem extracts obtained from different grape varieties from two vintages (2016 and 2018). Both spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods were used for sample characterization. The results showed that there exist significant differences in antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TF) among grape stems from different varieties in each vintage and from different vintage for the same variety. Catechin was the most abundant phenolic compound in all extracts from both vintages. In general, Mazuelo presented higher concentration values of the different phenolic compounds than Garnacha and Tempranillo. It was observed than extreme temperatures and accumulated precipitations, which were higher in the 2016 vintage, had an impact on the polyphenol synthesis. Therefore, grape stems from the 2018 vintage presented higher TPC and TF values than their counterparts from the 2016 vintage. In addition, the statistical analysis revealed that the influence of environmental factor such as light, temperature and precipitations have different impact on the synthesis of polyphenols depending on the family of the specific compound.

To What Extent Are the Effects of UV Radiation on Grapes Conserved in the Resulting Wines?

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation strongly influences grape composition, but only a few studies have focused on how this influence is conserved in the resulting wines. Here we analyzed to what extent the changes induced by exposing Tempranillo grapes to UV radiation from budbreak to harvest were conserved in wine. By using different cut-off filters and lamps, we differentiated the effects of ambient levels of UV-A and UV-B wavelengths, as well as the effects of a realistic UV-B enhancement associated with climate change. Among phenolic compounds, the most consistent responses to UV were those of flavonols (particularly quercetin-, kaempferol-, isorhamnetin- and myricetin-glycosides), which significantly increased in wines whose grapes had been exposed to a synergic combination of UV-A and UV-B radiation. This confirms that flavonols are the phenolic compounds most reliably conserved from UV-exposed grapes to wine, despite the possible influence of the winemaking process. Flavonols are important compounds because they contribute to wine co-pigmentation by stabilizing anthocyanins, and they are interesting antioxidants and nutraceuticals. Hydroxycinnamic acids also increased under the same UV combination or under UV-A alone. Wine VOCs were much less reactive to the UV received by grapes than phenolic compounds, and only esters showed significantly higher values under (mainly) UV-A alone. This was surprising because (1) UV-A has been considered to be less important than UV-B to induce metabolic changes in plants, and (2) esters are produced during winemaking. Esters are relevant due to their contribution to the fruity aroma in wines. In general, the remaining phenolic compounds (stilbenes, flavanols, hydroxybenzoic acids, and anthocyanins) and VOCs (alcohols, hydrocarbons, and fatty acids), together with wine color and antioxidant capacity, showed inconsistent or non-significant responses to UV radiation. These results were summarized by a multivariate analysis. Our study opens up new possibilities to artificially manipulate UV radiation in grapevine cultivation to improve both grape and wine quality.

Vibrational Spectroscopy Combined with Chemometrics as Tool for Discriminating Organic vs. Conventional Culture Systems for Red Grape Extracts.

Food plants provide a regulated source of delivery of functional compounds, plant secondary metabolites production being also tissue specific. In grape berries, the phenolic compounds, flavonoids and non-flavonoids, are distributed in the different parts of the fruit. The aim of this study was to investigate the applicability of FTIR and Raman screening spectroscopic techniques combined with multivariate statistical tools to find patterns in red grape berry parts (skin, seeds and pulp) according to grape variety and vineyard type (organic and conventional). Spectral data were acquired and processed using the same pattern for each different berry part (skin, seeds and pulp). Multivariate analysis has allowed a separation between extracts obtained from organic and conventional vineyards for each grape variety for all grape berry parts. The innovative approach presented in this work is low-cost and feasible, being expected to have applications in studies referring to the authenticity and traceability of foods. The findings of this study are useful as well in solving a great challenge that producers are confronting, namely the consumers’ distrust of the organic origin of food products. Further analyses of the chemical composition of red grapes may enhance the capability of the method of using both vibrational spectroscopy and chemometrics for discriminating the hydroalcoholic extracts according to grape varieties.

Impact of Rootstock and Season on Red Blotch Disease Expression in Cabernet Sauvignon (V. vinifera).

Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV), the causative agent of grapevine red blotch disease, is widespread across the United States and causes a delay in ripening events in grapes. This study evaluates the effects of GRBV on Cabernet Sauvignon grape berry composition, grafted on two different rootstocks (110R and 420A) in two seasons (2016 and 2017). Total soluble solids, acidity, and anthocyanin concentrations were monitored through ripening and at harvest. Phenolic and volatile compounds were also analyzed at harvest to determine genotypic and environmental influences on disease outcome. Sugar accumulation through ripening was lower in diseased fruit (RB (+)) than healthy fruit across rootstock and season. GRBV impact was larger in 2016 than 2017, indicating a seasonal effect on disease expression. In general, anthocyanin levels and volatile compound accumulation was lower in RB (+) fruit than healthy fruit. Total phenolic composition and tannin content was higher in RB (+) fruit than healthy fruit in only 110R rootstock. Overall, GRBV impacted Cabernet Sauvignon grape composition crafted on rootstock 110R more than those crafted on rootstock 420A.

Interannual and spatial variability of grape composition in the Rioja DOCa show better resilience of cv. Graciano than cv. Tempranillo under a warming scenario

Weather conditions affect vine development and grape composition, although the response may be different depending on the variety and altitude. Under scenarios of climate change, the knowledge of the relationships between grape composition and climate is therefore important to know the suitability of a given cultivar. In this research, the variability of the grape composition of two red varieties with different phenological timings (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Tempranillo and Graciano) cultivated in Rioja DOCa (Spain) and the climatic variables that have a higher effect on the response of each of them were analysed. Grape composition of both cultivars at technical maturity (considered when a probable volumetric alcoholic degree (PVAD) = 13 º was reached) was analysed during the period 2008–2020 in areas located at different elevations and related to the weather conditions recorded in those areas. The results show the effect of temperature and water availability in different periods during the growing cycle on grape composition and the potential benefits of cultivating at a higher elevation, under higher water availability. The anthocyanins were affected by the maximum temperatures recorded in the period before veraison and during ripening (period veraison to technical maturity), decreasing their concentrations with increasing temperatures. In addition, higher water availability gave rise to an increase in acidity. Graciano is shown as a variety more suitable than Tempranillo to be cultivated under warmer conditions.

Global warming allows two grape crops a year, with about two months apart in ripening dates and with very different grape composition - The forcing vine regrowth to obtain two crops a year

With the aim of delaying the ripening of grapes by around two months, a technique has been proposed based on forcing vine regrowth (Gu et al. 2012, Martinez de Toda et al. 2019). It is a bold method to fight against climate warming that could be only developed in really warm viticultural regions. It consists in shortening the growing shoots to several nodes with the aim of forcing vine regrowth; in order to force budbreak, shoot regrowth, and cropping, the source of inhibition needs to be eliminated and to this end, lateral shoots, leaves, and primary clusters, if they exist, are removed.But the main drawback of the forcing vine regrowth technique is loss of yield. In order to avoid this loss of yield and not to eliminate the primary clusters already formed in the main shoots, it is possible to force the development of buds of the fifth and sixth nodes, but maintaining the clusters of the main shoots. In this way, the yield of the forced buds would be added to the normal or primary yield of the shoots. The experiences carried out with 'Grenache', 'Tempranillo' and 'Maturana Tinta' varieties in La Rioja (Spain) are presented.

Double cropping inVitis viniferaL. cv. Pinot Noir: agronomical and physiological validation

Background and Aims Environmental effects of global warming are leading to extended ripening seasons, which may either require or allow new vineyard management techniques. An innovative double-cropping technique is proposed for temperate climate areas. Methods and Results The principle technique was to maintain the primary crop as well as to obtain a second, late ripening crop through release of dormancy of the auxiliary buds during the current season. Potted Pinot Noir vines were subjected to two forcing treatments over 2 years: trimming all the primary shoots at six nodes and removing any developing laterals at the end of the flowering and pea size stages. Vine growth, yield components and grape composition were monitored on both primary and forced shoots. In the second season, seasonal whole-vine gas exchange was evaluated in detail. Forced shoots carried 40–50% of the vine crop compared to primary shoots and fruit quality was greatly enhanced and higher TA was observed. Forcing treatments reached a similar net carbon dioxide exchange rate per vine compared to unforced Control about 2 weeks following auxiliary budburst. For the remainder of the season, forcing treatments maintained much higher net carbon dioxide exchange rate and water-use efficiency than unforced Control vines. Conclusions Detailed agronomical and physiological evaluation for 2 years confirmed the reliability of the double-cropping technique without compromising the pruning point selection for the next cropping year. Significance of the Study Future field application may disclose that this forcing technique is able to warrant two crops potentially suited to different wine styles within a single season.

Leaf removal effects on light absorption in virtual Riesling canopies (Vitis vinifera)

AbstractLeaf removal is a standard vineyard management technique to influence grape composition or to reduce disease pressure; however, the timing and intensity of leaf removal is a widely discussed issue. The interplay of different goals and effects over time does not make experimental studies any easier. To gain insight into positive and negative consequences of leaf removal on grapevine development, a first step can be to study how leaf removal affects the canopy’s light absorption using a dynamic model approach. Functional–structural plant models combine canopy architecture with physiological processes and allow analysing canopy interaction with the environment with great topological detail. The functional–structural plant model Virtual Riesling simulates Riesling vines in a vineyard set-up depending on temperature and plant management. We implemented leaf removal and applied this method in or above the bunch zone to compare the light absorption in canopies. Leaf removal in the bunch zone led to greater loss of absorbed light, but canopies of both scenarios could compensate for most of the loss during the simulation time frame. Compensation was mainly driven by lateral leaves closing the gaps induced by leaf removal and by leaves in the proximity of the leaf removal zones, re-exposed to light. Results showed similar effects as observed in in vivo studies; hence, we suggest extending these simulations to investigate other effects linked to light distribution such as berry sunburn. Simple modifications of implemented leaf removal techniques also allow for testing different application scopes and their impact on canopy light absorption.

Crop Load and Plant Water Status Influence the Ripening Rate and Aroma Development in Berries of Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) cv. Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wine made from grapes subjected to accelerated ripening, an increasingly frequent phenomenon occurring in many wine regions due to peaks of heat and water stress, displays higher alcohol levels and lacks balance with color and flavor compounds. Herein, the rate of sugar accumulation of grapes was manipulated by varying the crop load and irrigation regime and the development of secondary metabolites was monitored by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A 3-week delay in ripening correlated to an increase in the concentration of some monoterpenes and norisoprenoids and a greater decrease of green aroma compounds. Delayed ripening had a positive impact on the phenolic composition of grapes, displaying higher contents of total anthocyanins, total phenolics, quercetin glycosides, and polymeric pigments. A map of the chemical composition of grapes close to harvest allowed discrimination of compounds mainly responsive to delayed ripening from those driven by crop load or irrigation.

Statement of Boron application impact on yield, composition and structural properties in Merlot grapes

Boron has been described as essential micronutrient for the development of some plants, including the vine. The objective of this study was to determine whether different applications of boron directly to bunches had any effect on vineyard productivity, chemical composition and on grape physical properties. The results obtained after two years trial indicated that boron sprays increased the productive parameters of the vineyard. Application of boron directly to the grape bunches proved to be effective in the absorption of this micronutrient by the vine, increasing the boron content in the grapes treated with different concentrations. In addition, boron-treated grapes have a higher concentration of organic acids and better cell wall definition than control sample grapes. The exogenous application of this micronutrient, as a complement to agricultural treatments, can be an interesting strategy to increase vine productivity and grape quality.

Mycorrhizal Fungi Enhance Yield and Berry Chemical Composition of in Field Grown “Cabernet Sauvignon” Grapevines (V. vinifera L.)

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the application of mycorrhizal fungal inoculum on “Cabernet Sauvignon” (Vitis vinifera L.) leaf gas exchange, yield parameters, as well as grape berry composition, especially regarding phenolic compounds. The experiment was conducted over two years under natural vineyard conditions of the Zagreb wine-growing area, the continental region of Croatia. “Cabernet Sauvignon” grapevines were grafted on SO4 rootstock, both being commonly used in all wine production areas in Croatia. Results obtained demonstrated that symbiotic grapevines, in general, expressed improved leaf gas exchange parameters and higher yield parameters, especially regarding the number of clusters per vine. It should be emphasized that mycorrhizal fungi affected higher total flavan-3-ols, total anthocyanins, and total polyphenols in berry skin in both experimental years. Despite variation in some yield parameters, generally, it is possible to obtain higher yields together with the improved phenolic composition of grapes.

Correlation between Skin Cell Wall Composition and Polyphenol Extractability of Pinot noir and Cabernet Sauvignon Grapes

The composition of skin cell wall material from Pinot noir and Cabernet Sauvignon grape berries from four different regions in California was investigated to determine relationships between cell wall composition and phenolic extractability observed under winemaking conditions. Multiple vineyards (sites) per region were studied. Cell wall composition analysis included determining total soluble sugars, proteins, noncellulosic glucose, cellulose, lignin, lipids, total polyphenolic content, soluble polysaccharides, and uronic acid, as well as isolation efficiency. Results indicated that cell wall material (CWM) composition is mainly site-specific, with some effect due to variety and little to no effect from the growing region. Grape phenolics analyzed included monomeric flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, polymeric phenols, and polymeric pigments and could be used to distinguish between varieties. Grapes grown in the same region exhibited similar phenolic extractability, indicating a significant effect of the growing area, as well as a synergistic effect between CWM composition and grape phenolics. CWM composition analysis indicated that demethylation of pectin favored the release of phenolics, while lignin content correlated negatively with the phenolics extracted. Proteins showed a negative correlation with polymeric phenols, whereas no correlation was found with polymeric pigments. Anthocyanin extractability was highly affected by its content within grape skins, more so than other phenolics that are present in both the skins and seeds.

Managing Vineyard Topography and Seasonal Variability to Improve Grape Quality and Vineyard Sustainability

Topography may induce variability in meteorological conditions at the meso-scale level and could influence grape quality. Understanding the impact of topography on grape ripening allows for the development of sustainable management practices that include topographical influences in their consideration. This is also important for applying proactive strategies able to counter the expected changes of climate. This study was conducted on cv. Nebbiolo vineyards in North-West Italy. The topographic traits were performed in 17 vineyards within the region, which had previously been identified as belonging to different terroir units. An analysis of historical meteorological data series was also carried out to characterize the units from the meteorological point of view. The grape composition was investigated during 2012 and 2013. Based on the topography traits, a Cluster Analysis classified the 17 vineyards into four groups. Differences among groups mainly concerned insolation and heat accumulation. Topography influenced the individual components of grape quality differently depending on the seasonal weather trend. Interactions between topography and vintage were observed for a few parameters. Better understanding the grapevine reaction to external factors/site characteristics can allow for improved site and season-specific management decision making and can contribute to improving vineyard sustainability while maintaining winery objectives and wine typicity.

Compositional Changes in Grapes and Leaves as a Consequence of Smoke Exposure of Vineyards from Multiple Bushfires across a Ripening Season.

The negative effects of smoke exposure of grapes in vineyards that are close to harvest are well documented. Volatile phenols in smoke from forest and grass fires can contaminate berries and, upon uptake, are readily converted into a range of glycosylated grape metabolites. These phenolic glycosides and corresponding volatile phenols are extracted into the must and carried through the winemaking process, leading to wines with overtly smoky aromas and flavours. As a result, smoke exposure of grapes can cause significant quality defects in wine, and may render grapes and wine unfit for sale, with substantial negative economic impacts. Until now, however, very little has been known about the impact on grape composition of smoke exposure very early in the season, when grapes are small, hard and green, as occurred with many fires in the 2019–20 Australian grapegrowing season. This research summarises the compositional consequences of cumulative bushfire smoke exposure of grapes and leaves, it establishes detailed profiles of volatile phenols and phenolic glycosides in samples from six commercial Chardonnay and Shiraz blocks throughout berry ripening and examines the observed effects in the context of vineyard location and timing of smoke exposure. In addition, we demonstrate the potential of some phenolic glycosides in leaves to serve as additional biomarkers for smoke exposure of vineyards.

Comparison and Ground Truthing of Different Remote and Proximal Sensing Platforms to Characterize Variability in a Hedgerow-Trained Vineyard

Appropriate characterization of intra-parcel variability is a key element for the effective application of precision farming techniques. Nowadays there are many platforms available to end users differing for pixel spatial resolution and the type of acquisition (remote or proximal). A challenging aspect pertaining to remote sensing image acquisition in the vineyard ecosystem is that, in a large majority of cases, vegetation is discontinuous and single rows alternate with strips of either bare or grassed soil. In this paper, four different satellite platforms (Sentinel-2, Spot-6, Pleiades, and WorldView-3) having different spatial resolution and MECS-VINE® proximity sensor were compared in terms of accuracy at describing spatial variability. Vineyard mapping was coupled with detailed ground truthing of growth, yield, and grape composition variables. The analysis was conducted based on vigor indices (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index or Canopy Index) and using the Moran Index (MI) to assess the degree of spatial auto-correlation for the different variables. The results obtained showed a large degree of intra-plot variability in the main agronomic parameters (pruning weight CV: 33.86%, yield: 32.09%). The univariate Moran index showed a log-linear function relating MI coefficients to the resolution levels. Comparison between vigor indices and agronomic data showed that the highest bivariate MI was reached by Pleiades followed by MECS-VINE® which also did not exhibit the negative effect of the border pixel owing to the proximal scanning acquisition. Despite WorldView-3′s high resolution (1.24 m pixel) allowing very detailed data imaging, the comparison with ground-truth data was not encouraging, probably due to the presence of pure ground pixels, while Sentinel-2 was affected by the oversized pixel at 10 m.

Genotypic variation in phenolic composition of novel white grape genotypes (Vitis vinifera L.)

Targeted analysis based on high performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS) has been applied to determine genotypic effect in the phenolic composition of novel white grapes (Vitis vinifera L.). For this purpose, the recently identified white grape genotypes Albillo Dorado and Montonera del Casar were comprehensively profiled and compared to cultivar Airén at two consecutive years (2016 and 2017). Several phenolic compounds were quantified in berry parts and arranged into the following classes: flavonols, flavan-3-ols, hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives and stilbenes. In order to establish the degree of dissimilarity between grape genotypes, data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis included a Principal Component Analysis that provided a good separation according to flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acid derivates and flavan-3-ols from different grape tissues. The approach reported here may serve to clarify the varietal typicity of these new white grape genotypes for producers and consumers, defining their identity and position on the market.

Cluster Thinning and Vineyard Site Modulate the Metabolomic Profile of Ribolla Gialla Base and Sparkling Wines.

Depending on the vineyard location, cluster thinning (CT) may represent an effective tool to obtain the desired grape composition and wine quality. The effect of 20% cluster thinning on Ribolla Gialla (Vitis vinifera L.) sparkling wine aroma, lipid compounds, and aromatic amino acid (AAA) metabolites composition was studied for three consecutive seasons in two vineyards located in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Italy. In the examined sparkling wines, the vintage meteorological conditions exhibited significant influences on the metabolic profile of the samples. Data were normalized by season, and the impact of the CT treatment was evaluated for each vineyard site separately. Crop removal showed a limited positive impact on aroma compounds in sparkling wines from vineyards located in the valley. Concerning the AAA compounds, their concentration was higher in the vineyard at the foot of the hills. Cluster thinning resulted in a drop in concentration, reducing the risk of atypical aging. Despite minor differences according to targeted metabolome profiling, the sensory analysis confirmed the effects of the CT treatment in the valley floor vineyard. Reducing crop in this site, where the yield was higher, promoted a moderate improvement of Ribolla Gialla sparkling wine. In contrast, for wine produced in the vineyard at the foot of the hills, the sensory analysis indicated a preference for wines from the unthinned control samples. Overall, the study indicates that cluster thinning is a viticultural technique that could potentially improve the quality of Ribolla Gialla sparkling wines, but only in situations of excessive grape production.

Response of Tannat (<i>Vitis vinifera</i> L.) to pre-flowering leaf removal in a humid climate

The aim of this study was to test the effect of pre-flowering leaf removal (PFD) on grape sanitary status, yield, source-sink balance and berry composition. A completely random block design experiment was conducted over four seasons in a commercial vineyard of the Tannat/SO4 combination located in the south of Uruguay (34° 35´30 S, 56° 15´23 O). The PFD treatment was compared with a commercial defoliation (CC) comprising partial leaf removal between the fruit set and cluster closure stages (four leaves from the first node), a traditional practice carried out by winegrowers. Both treatments received equal phytosanitary management during the study. The results were conditioned by seasonal meteorological conditions, particularly rainfall, temperature and evapotranspiration. The seasonal effect was significant for yield components, berry composition and source-sink balance. The PFD treatment resulted in the lowest yields in all four years and modified the primary and secondary composition of berries. It also showed a higher anthocyanin potential in 2016, 2017 and 2019, related to a higher percentage of exposed clusters, lower yield and/or higher leaf to fruit ratio. In 2017, environmental conditions were more favourable for the development of bunch rot, and lower values of incidence (3 %) were recorded for the PFD treatment compared to CC (22 %), due to greater exposure of bunches and less compact bunches. The PFD vines showed a steady reduction in dry matter production capacity, mainly explained by the steady reduction in yields. The Tannat variety showed a differential response to PFD depending on the weather during the growth cycle. Under humid climate conditions, pre-flowering defoliation proved to be effective for yield control, by reducing bunch rot incidence, and for improving some attributes in terms of grape composition. This work provides useful information for grape growers in humid regions on how to improve the sanitary status and quality of their production.

Assessing wine grape quality parameters using plant traits derived from physical model inversion of hyperspectral imagery

Together with ensuring a stable yield, improving grape composition and aroma is the main goal of wine grape production management as it determines consumer acceptance and ultimately revenue. Understanding the triggers of the synthesis of aromatic components and finding methods to map their variability in the field can aid management practices during the season and planning selective harvest in views of maximizing benefit. Vegetation indices have been shown to track grape colour, sugar and acidity content but it has been demonstrated that aromatic components are the main drivers of the final palate of wine and are not correlated to sugar concentration. Leaf pigments such as chlorophyll, carotenoids and anthocyanins are involved in the metabolic pathways of aroma compounds in grapes. The physiological connections between grape aromatic components and primary and secondary photosynthetic pigments suggest that they could be used to detect processes related to aroma composition.This study investigates the links between grape quality parameters such as aromatic components and image-quantified spectral indices and photosynthetic plant traits derived by physical model inversion methods. Two sets of high-spatial resolution hyperspectral and thermal imagery were collected with an unmanned platform at veraison and harvest. The variability found in the field was partly but not fully explained by the thermal-based crop water stress index as an indicator of water stress (r2= 0.51–0.58, p-value<0.01). Fluspect-CX leaf model was coupled to 4SAIL canopy model and inverted to map the main photosynthetic pigment groups and the fraction of pigments acting in photoprotection. Results obtained through radiative transfer model inversion outperformed traditional vegetation indices related to pigment content and degradation. We found statistically significant relationships between image-retrieved pigments and terpenoids responsible for wine aroma (p-value<0.005).