Wine-growing Areas Research Articles

The BC for the sustainability of Designations of Origin and the Quality Agri-food Districts: The case of Vermentino di Gallura D.O.C.G.

The study describes the implementation hypothesis of the BC (BC) Technology within a specific wine-growing area, production area of a unique Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin at an international level, that of Vermentino di Gallura DOCG, located in the Region Sardinia (Italy). The paper is structured as follows: first, the operating scheme of the BC technology is briefly summarized and the type of plant to be used is identified for the purpose of this study, that of protecting the DO, transparency and simplification of practices of certification. The main uses that BC has had in the agri-food sector in general are recalled below, with a focus on the wine sector. The two paragraphs constitute an indispensable premise for the introduction of our BC implementation hypothesis in the specific case study. In fact, the second part of the work is dedicated to the description of the Vermentino di Gallura DOCG production system, and of some critical issues that could be overcome with the implementation of the BC Technology. The innovative aspect within the existing literature is represented by the fact that in this case it is not a question of applying BC's writing to a single company (mono-objective), but to the protection of a designation of origin and the guarantee of compliance with a Production Disciplinary, still little studied in the wine sector. Based on the variety of process types that populate the Agro-food Quality District, different writing options and different BC certification hypotheses will be presented. This is a first approach that we intend to implement and specifically study directly within a future research project.

New types of organic wines with Pedro Ximenez variety grown in the Marco de Jerez Sherry region

The Pedro Ximénez grape variety is one of the authorised varieties in the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry DO, although it currently occupies only 1% of the region's total cultivated area. With the intention of promoting its cultivation, as well as diversifying production in a historic wine-growing area such as the Marco de Jerez (Spain), work is currently being carried out through a research project in which both public and private entities are participating. This project focuses, among other aspects, on the organic cultivation of this minor grapevine variety in the region, as well as on the production of naturally sweet wines. In this research, the results of the characterisation of the grape musts of overripe Pedro Ximénez grapes are presented, as well as the monitoring of its fermentation and the characterisation of the wines obtained. The resulting wines show how the over-ripening technique is presented as a viable alternative for the production of new types of wines in a warm climate area such as the Marco de Jerez.

Use of Remotely Sensed Data for the Evaluation of Inter-Row Cover Intensity in Vineyards

Information on vegetation cover and soil management is used in hydrological and soil erosion modeling, but in most cases, reference values are used solely based on land use classification without considering the actual spatial and temporal variation adopted at the field scale. This work focused on the adoption of satellite optical data from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 (S2) mission to evaluate both spatial and temporal variations of vineyard ground cover. First, on a wider scale, fields were mapped by photointerpretation, and a cluster analysis was carried out. Results suggest that vineyards can be classified according to different inter-row soil management, with the best results obtained using NDVI and NDWI. A pilot area in the municipality of Carpeneto, in the wine-growing area of Alto Monferrato, was also analyzed due to the availability of reference data on inter-row vegetation cover from experimental plots. Those are set on sloping areas and present different inter-row soil managements (conventional tillage—CT, and permanent grass cover—GC). Time series of different vegetation indices (VIs) have been obtained, and both S2 native bands and the derived VIs were evaluated to assess their capability of describing the vineyard’s inter-row coverage growth trends at plot level for the agrarian year 2017–2018. Results suggest that a seasonality effect may be involved in the choice of the most suitable band or index that better describes soil coverage development at a given moment of the year. Further studies on open-source remotely sensed (RS) data could provide specific inputs for applications in erosion risk management and crop modeling.

THE QUALITATIVE OENOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF THE WINE GRAPECULTIVARS FROM THE AMPELOGRAPHIC COLLECTION AT SCDVV DRĂGĂŞANI

Research was carried out during 2020-2022 period at SCDVV Drăgăşani and at the Wine Analysis Laboratory within Sâmbureşti Domains. The cultivars analyzed and studied were 'Negru vârtos', 'Novac', 'Cârlogancă' and 'Bikaver 13', from the national germplasm collection of the Drăgăşani unit. The first three cultivars are considered autochthonous and even local, the fourth is a Hungarian cultivar. These cultivars are valuable, which lend themselves best to the eco-pedological conditions of the wine-growing area. The qualities of the wines obtained from these cultivars were valued, through physical-chemical analyzes and statistical calculations, using indices such as mean, variance (s2), standard deviation (s) and the coefficient of variation (CV%), the aim being to obtain wines of the DOC type and GI and their promotion on the national and international wine market. Therefore, the wines from Drăgăşani continue their traditional performance even today, that of being present on the market with their famous and very good wines. Drăgăşani wines are known in the country and abroad, being appreciated among the best red and white wines.

Fusion of 2DGC-MS, HPLC-MS and Sensory Data to Assist Decision-Making in the Marketing of International Monovarietal Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc Wines

Monovarietal wines produced in different wine-growing areas may have completely different sensory profiles. As a result, they may be suitable for sale in different regions, depending on local preferences. Better insight into the sensory and chemical profiles of these wines can be helpful in further optimizing commercial strategies and matching supply and demand, which is the main challenge for global wine traders. The training of dedicated sensory panels, together with the correlation of the evaluated attributes with chemical parameters, followed by validation of the obtained models, may yield an improved picture of the overall features associated with products from a specific region. Eighteen samples of international Chardonnay and eighteen samples of international Sauvignon Blanc wines were collected from nine world origins (Northern Italy, Southern Italy, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa). The overall quality judgement (OQJ) and the sensory attributes were evaluated by a panel trained with a MRATA (Modified Rate-All-That-Apply) method. Moreover, volatile compounds were analysed by HS-SPME-GC × GC-ToF/MS and the phenolic composition, including proanthocyanidins, was determined using HPLC-QqQ/MS. The processing of the data using different multivariate analysis methods, such as multiple factor analysis (MFA), was essential to gain insight into the quality of the samples. The profile of cyclic and non-cyclic oligomeric proanthocyanidins was found to be substantially dependent on the grape variety used in the wines (varietal markers), despite the country of origin of the wine influencing it to a limited extent. The results from the same samples analysed by a sensory panel from Germany and ours were qualitatively compared, highlighting the presence of potential factors inherent to the panels themselves that could influence the different judgments and quality classification of the wines. Consequently, the combination of sensory and chemical analysis, by means of the application of multivariate statistical methods presented in this study proves to be a powerful tool for a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the quality of the wines under investigation. Overall quality was described as a combination of the sensory attributes, according to the perception process. The attributes were in turn described based on the chemical profiles, which were determined independently by analytical techniques. Eventually, this approach can be very useful not only for basic research on wine quality but also as a tool to aid business-related decision-making activities of wineries and wine traders and to create models that can aid the refinement of marketing strategies.

Measurements Isotopic Ratios Signature and Level Concentration of Pb and Sr from Several Romanian Wines

Authenticity, certification, and especially the origin of food has become an increasing priority among consumers and producers, in the case of wines, this is very important especially if commercial values are associated with the region of production. In the last decades, isotopic ratios of geological interest, such as Pb, and Sr, have gained interest in the tracking regional provenance of foods and especially of wine. The correlation of the Pb and Sr isotope ratios between soil and plant makes it an interesting tool for tracing the provenance of agricultural products such as grapes and wine. The purpose of this research was to assessment the Pb and Sr isotopic ratio to highlight geographical markers with a high degree of credibility in several Romanian wine-growing areas. The values of the 206Pb/207Pb, for the vine from Dealu Bujorului and Valea Călugărească vineyard show traces of lead atmospheric pollution, in Nicorești, Panciu, and Ștefăneți-Argeș vineyard the values of the isotopic ratio show traces of fly ashes, coals, or natural Pb and Greaca vineyard show traces of petrol, gasoline, combustion. Due to Pb, and Sr a separation on the vineyards and wine-growing centers, and also a separation of the wine samples was possible.

Determinants of agricultural pesticide concentrations in homes located in wine-growing areas

Determinants of agricultural pesticide concentrations in homes located in wine-growing areas

Riqueza varietal de vid (Vitis vinífera L.) del Valle de Majes, Perú: Identificación, caracterización morfológica, análisis ampelográfico y genético

The “Majes Valley” in the province of Castilla – Arequipa Region, with a tradition in the production of wine and pisco, from grapevines introduced in the mid-sixteenth century, which are still preserved by some producers, with little knowledge of the varietal richness they possess, generating confusion in the identification of varieties and devaluing their winegrower potential. In this work, a varietal survey was carried out by wine-growing areas, characterizing the local varieties of old vineyards, with 14 primary descriptors recommended by the OIV-2009 and genetically identifying a sample of 11 phenotypes with the use of 9-SSR molecular markers when compared in the VIVC international database record. Seven wine-growing areas of the valley and 39 varieties with local names were identified, initially forming 13 groups of different names, which when analyzed by means of the canonical discriminant analysis and of main components, high inter- and intra-group phenotypic variability is evidenced due to the influence of some characters. In the analysis of the berry color the blue-black coloration predominates. Four varieties registered in the VIVC were genetically identified, corresponding to ´Listan Prieto` (syn. Negra Criolla and Moscatel), ´Quebranta` (syn.Vinera), ´Muscat Hamburg` (syn.Italia Negra) and ´Jacquez` (syn. Borgoña Majeña) and 2 unregistered varieties “Cantarita” and “Aceituna de Cotahuasi”. A varietal diversity with characteristics of interest in viticulture and plant breeding is observed, with contribution to the varietal identity of known and new creole varieties, contributing to the heritage value of the vine.

Research of extract components for the purpose of quality control and safety of wines

The problem of the quality of alcoholic beverages is relevant in many countries. Despite modern methods of quality control, the market is full of counterfeit and surrogate alcohol. One of the main indicators of the quality of wine products is the extract. Phenolic compounds account for up to 10% of the amount of extractive components of wine. In addition, Malvidin-3,5-di-O-glycoside is normalized by MOVV. In order to determine the qualitative indicators by the method of high-performance liquid chromatography, wine samples were examined and a comparative analysis of the qualitative and quantitative ratio of flavonoids for Chardonnay – Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot varieties was carried out. Studies of the extract components in wines have revealed differences in the composition of phenolic compounds for wines produced from white and red grape varieties produced at various enterprises in various wine-growing areas. It allowed us to obtain results that can be used in assessing the quality and safety of varietal wines and wines of geographical names.

The Brand–Land Identity of Etna Volcano Valley Wines: A Policy Delphi Study

This is the first study on the brand–land link for quality wines with a strong identity produced in extreme territories using the Policy Delphi methodology. The objective of this study is to assess the existence of a relationship between the wine brand and the territory of origin for wines produced in the Etna valley in Sicily (southern Italy). Awareness among producers and stakeholders of the recognizability of local wines by the market was investigated. Moreover, the forecasts/reliability, issues/importance, options/feasibility, and goals/desirability of development factors for wines with a brand–land link in the Etna valley were analyzed. The results were used to design a model of the value chain for wines with a brand–land identity which is generalizable to other wine regions. In this study, the policy Delphi method was adapted, consolidated, and improved for marketing studies in the agri-food sector. This adapted method can be replicated in other studies focusing on similar contexts. The findings provide insights into the characteristics (type and category) of development factors that add value to Etna Rosso DOC wine and provide interesting food for thought for wine-producing companies in other wine-growing areas with unique pedoclimatic characteristics that determine a strong brand–land link between wine and its territory or origin. Practical implications encompass new elements for winemakers, as well as for local decision-makers and stakeholders, for the formulation of more effective communication strategies and territorial revitalization strategies to enhance the competitiveness and appreciation of wines with strong geographical identity traits. To highlight these elements, a new theoretical model was designed that includes the experience of the territory and the product in the value chain of iconic wines.

Approach to the Chemotaxonomic Characterization of Traditional Cultivation Grape Varieties through Their Varietal Aroma Profile.

In this study, the aroma profile of 12 minority grape varieties of Vitis vinifera L., included in the ‘Caiño group’, was defined along three vintages by solid phase microextraction followed by the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method (SPME-GC-MS). Principal objectives were to assess the aromatic profile as a useful fingerprint to differentiate them, recover traditionally cultivated grape varieties for the differentiation of an important wine-growing area and discover their chemotaxonomic potential. In each variety, free and bound volatile profile was carried out by grouping varietal compounds into thirteen families. In total, 339 volatile compounds were identified, 230 as free forms and 205 as aromatic precursors. Remarkable quantitative differences were observed between aromatic profiles for terpenes in the free fraction and for C6 compounds, alcohols, sesquiterpenes and phenols in the glycosidic fraction. Principal component analysis based on their aromatic profile highlights a good differentiation between varieties and suggests a certain degree of aromatic chemotaxonomic proximity between previously known parental varieties, ‘Caiño Blanco’ with respect to ‘Caiño Bravo’ and ‘Albariño’. This study shows the preliminary results of a large research project involving a larger number of grape varieties and thus a broader spectrum of genetic relationships between them.

A proposed risk framework as a tool for sustainability for the South African wine industry

Aim: There is an existing gap in the literature that addresses the importance of risk management as a tool for sustainability in the winemaker’s activities and operations. The purpose of this article is to propose a risk management framework for the South African wine industry that can be used as a tool for sustainability.Setting: The study comprised 10 participants at five wine-producing estates located in the five different wine-growing areas within the Stellenbosch region.Method: The study is exploratory in nature, adopting a case study approach. Interviews with wine producers in the Stellenbosch region of the Western Cape province of South Africa were conducted in order to identify the various risks they face.Result: A thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The four steps of risk management were used as a reference point and to underpin the proposed risk management framework. The study was done using the Supply Chain Operations Reference model, which is divided into six process categories, namely plan, source, make, deliver, return and enable.Conclusion: The article makes a twofold contribution. Firstly, wine producers might use the proposed framework to identify and mitigate their risks and thus as a tool for sustainability. Secondly, the proposed framework is expected to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on risk management and sustainability.

Ecogeographic Conditions Dramatically Affect Trans-Resveratrol and Other Major Phenolics' Levels in Wine at a Semi-Arid Area.

Grapevines are susceptible and responsive to their surrounding environment. Factors such as climate region and terroir are known to affect polyphenolic compounds in wine and therefore, its quality. The uniqueness of the terroir in Israel is the variety of soil types and the climatic conditions, ranging from Mediterranean to arid climates. Thus, understanding the effects of climate on grapevine performance in Israel may be a test case for the effect of climate change on grapevine at other areas in the future. First, we present a preliminary survey (2012–2014) in different climate zones and terroirs, which showed that trans-resveratrol concentrations in Merlot and Shiraz were high, while those of Cabernet Sauvignon were significantly lower. A further comprehensive countrywide survey (2016) of Merlot wines from 62 vineyards (53 wineries) compared several phenolic compounds’ concentrations between five areas of different climate and terroir. Results show a connection between trans-resveratrol concentrations, variety, and terroir properties. Furthermore, we show that trans-resveratrol concentrations are strongly correlated to humidity levels at springtime, precipitation, and soil permeability. This work can be considered a glimpse into the possible alterations of wine composition in currently moderate-climate wine-growing areas.

Monitoring The Content of Heavy Metals in The Soil and Wines from Different Wine-Growing Areas of Romania

Determination of heavy metals in soil and wine is very important for wine quality and consumer health, but at the same time it is a complementary tool for differentiating wines according to their geographical origin. In this work, soils and ten brands of wines originated from four major wine-growing areas of Romania (Iaşi, Babadag, Ştefăneşti and Blaj) were considered for performing a multielement (Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Pb, Hg, V, Sr, Mn, Zn, Fe) investigation in order to assess regional specificity. Heavy metals found in the investigated wines were below the limits imposed by European standards (O.I.V.) the elements concentrations following the trend: Zn>Fe>Mn>Sr>Ni>Cr>Cu>Pb>V>Hg>As. For the soils analyzed, the heavy metals content was found to be below the maximum permitted limit, except for Cu (135.45 mg/kg) from the Iaşi vineyard, which was at the permitted limit. The high values obtained for copper may be the result of different treatments with the Bordelaise solution for the vine. The elements CA, Mn and Hg observed from the research that they are predominantly of natural origin. Based on our results, a distinction has been made between wines according to their geographical origin, considering that the specific elements of discrimination Sr, Pb, and Ni for the Stefănesti vineyard (Muntenia region), Cr and Hg for the Babadag vineyard (Dobrogea region), Sr and V for the Iaşi vineyard (region of Moldova), respectively Fe and Zn for the Blaj vineyard (Transilvania region).

Monitoring The Content of Heavy Metals in The Soil and Wines from Different Wine-Growing Areas of Romania

Monitoring The Content of Heavy Metals in The Soil and Wines from Different Wine-Growing Areas of Romania

Study of Inter- and Intra-varietal Genetic Variability in Grapevine Cultivars.

Vitis vinifera includes a large number of cultivars that are further distinguished in biotypes and clones, and it is actually hard to differentiate them, even through complex molecular techniques. In this work, the plant materials of 56 putative Sangiovese and 14 putative Montepulciano biotypes, two of the most widespread black-berried Italian cultivars, were collected in different wine-growing areas of Italy distributed in 13 regions, from north to south. Firstly, the samples were analyzed using SSR markers to have proper varietal identification. According to the results, the genotypes belonged to three different cultivars: Sangiovese, Sanforte, and Montepulciano. Subsequently, the samples were investigated using AFLP, SAMPL, M-AFLP, and I-SSR molecular markers to estimate their intra-varietal genetic variability. The DNA marker-based method used turned out to be performing to bring out the geographic differences among the biotypes screened, and it can therefore be considered as a powerful tool available for all the grapevine varieties.

Mobile land: modes of transfer – varieties of contexts

ABSTRACT Social and economic historical research has repeatedly shown that the buying and selling, transferring, and rearranging of pieces of land can be identified as various modes of dealing with land in many European regions from the Middle Ages onward. Land was therefore mobile. Furthermore, recent empirical studies have evidenced the existence of ‘land markets’ since the Middle Ages – not only in wine-growing areas or in regions with partible inheritance but also in agricultural areas with impartible inheritance. However, they also show that the definition of the ‘market’ needs broadening in order to incorporate the different modes of transfer and the various actors involved. The many forms of property exchanges, the underlying assemblage of property and land use rights, and the existence and definition of land markets are much debated topics in economic and social history. These debates differ in terms of chronology and how they define land markets and property rights: should analysis distinguish between commercial property transfers and those that can be placed within kin relations? In other words, do we understand premodern land markets in a more comprehensive way and allow for the entanglements between commercial and kin-related property exchanges? This Special Issue argues in favour of such a perspective. The introduction provides a framework to the five contributions to this special issue, which make use of multiple approaches and analyse specific legal spaces in view of land transactions and their legal, social, and economic embeddedness. Here, we discuss methodological challenges, especially the use of sources and data, present some of the main findings of the papers, and conclude with implications and questions for future research on property transfers and markets.

Foliar application of kaolin and zeolites to adapt the adverse effects of climate change in Vitis vinifera L. cv. Sangiovese

One of the first effects of climate change in wine-growing areas is the advancement of phenological stages, especially concerning early berry ripening. In this condition, the decoupling between technological and phenolic maturity often occurs. Anthocyanins in red grapes are among the compounds that mostly contribute to phenolic maturity. However, their accumulation in the grape berries is known to be impaired by high temperatures. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the efficacy of mineral-based compounds treatments with kaolin and zeolite, based on chabasite, on the enhancement of anthocyanins accumulation, also at the molecular level, analysing the gene expressions along the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway during ripening of Sangiovese berries. In addition, the temperature of berries and grape leaves, vine water status, leaf photosynthetic efficiency, total soluble solids, titratable acidity and pH were measured throughout the growing season. Hence, in the current study, it has been demonstrated the efficacy of kaolin and zeolite treatments not only in lowering the daily maximum grape berries temperature but also in the improvement of grapes anthocyanins accumulation correlated with the enhancement of expression of those genes involved in their biosynthesis pathway. Moreover, treatments had no significant effect on productive parameters.

Soil and Leaf Mineral Element Contents in Mediterranean Vineyards: Bioaccumulation and Potential Soil Pollution

The study reported here concerns the geochemical distributions of macro- and trace elements (including potentially toxic elements, PTEs) in the vineyard soils of Alcubillas, which is one of the oldest, albeit not world-renowned, wine-growing areas in La Mancha (Central Spain). Soil and leaf samples were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to ascertain the levels of various elements in the soil and the plant. The potential toxicity of the elements was assessed with regard to the development of the vineyard. Despite the fact that fertilizers and pesticides are employed in the vineyards in this area, the results showed that the levels of trace elements in the soil samples did not exceed the reference values according the pedogeochemical values for the region and Spain. This finding suggests that the study area is not polluted, and therefore, there are hardly any traces of anthropogenic contamination. The Biological Absorption Coefficient (BAC) was calculated to assess the assimilation of various elements from the soil to the leaves, and differences were found in the element absorption capacity of the vines. Some elements were not taken up by Vitis vinifera despite elements like Zr and Rb being present in relatively high concentrations in the soil. The production in these soils does not represent a threat to human health or the ecosystem, because the farmers in this area are extremely careful to preserve the environment and they only farm to achieve moderate yields of grapes per hectare.

LIFE VITISOM: innovation in viticulture

Soil organic matter (SOM) is considered a fundamental element for the vitality of agricultural soils. The depletion of SOM is a main concern for grape-growing compartment as the increase of mechanical approach is fastening its degradation. SOM loss in vineyard soils lead to a decrease of yield and quality of products as a consequence of a reduction of soil chemical and biological fertility. In order to contrast SOM erosion, research aiming at finding sustainable management practices are enhancing in agricultural sector. In the present study a three-year research was carried out in vineyard with the aim to compare the application of three different organic fertilizers. The effects of organic fertilisation on vines, grapes and wines were investigated in five different Italian wine-growing areas. The positive effect of organic fertilisation is highlighted, especially in the conservation of acidic content of the must. The effect of fertilization is also revealed in differences in wine aromas at wine tasting.