Grapevine Facing Climate Change: From Land, through Plants to Grapes and Wine

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

The viticultural sector, comprising table grapes, juices and wine production, constitutes a major socio-economic sector at the global level. Vines are cultivated throughout agricultural lands, and in renowned wine-growing areas give place to peculiar and unique grapes and wines due to their very specific terroirs. The environmental context has a major impact on production, crop quality and processing and, at the microclimate scale, can be influenced by cultural practices. Global climate change continues to threaten crop production and may lead to significant alterations in the environmental suitability and cultivation conditions of extended viticultural areas worldwide. Meteorological conditions, such as those that prevailed in 2022, with an unprecedented frequency of drought and heat stresses being recorded in many regions, are among the most threatening factors for grape production and have a central impact on the quality of grapes and their composition, which impacts berry processing and winemaking. Undoubtedly, climate change will continue having a large impact on viticulture as well as on grape processing and the different stages of winemaking. It is therefore important to develop our knowledge concerning grapevine responses, resilience and adaption to climate, from molecular through to genetic and physiological functions to agronomic and cultural practices, to better cope and mitigate the adverse effects on grapevine performances and management and to optimise and adapt the vinification process, including yeast choice or establishing new winemaking processes in order to reach the standard typicity or to create a new product. This topic is dedicated to new ideas and original works that deal with the effects of climate change conditions on vine genetics, development and production; on berry composition and transformation processes; and on agricultural practices and land suitability evaluation, to face, adapt and mitigate the ongoing changes in climate.

Dr. Othmane Merah
Dr. Ana Fernandes De Oliveira
Dr. Daniela Satta
Dr. Mario Cunha
Dr. Jesus Yuste
Dr. Jalloul Bouajila
Topic Editors

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Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Agronomy agronomy	3.3	6.2	2011	15.5 Days	CHF 2600
Beverages beverages	3.0	6.1	2015	20.6 Days	CHF 1600
Fermentation fermentation	3.3	3.8	2015	15.7 Days	CHF 2100
Horticulturae horticulturae	3.1	3.5	2015	14.8 Days	CHF 2200
Plants plants	4.0	6.5	2012	18.2 Days	CHF 2700

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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17 pages, 2771 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Autochthonous Red Varieties in the Oltrepò Pavese Wine District: An Effective Tool for Adaptation to Climate Change

by Alberto Vercesi, Matteo Gatti, Alessandra Garavani, Francesco Pelusi and Stefano Poni

Horticulturae 2024, 10(6), 658; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10060658 - 20 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1212

Abstract

Global warming is challenging the performances of medium-to-late ripening red Vitis vinifera cultivars whose harvest dates might be consistently anticipated at the detriment of still insufficient phenolic maturity. A 3-year study (2021–2023) was devised to compare cv Croatina—the most grown red cultivar in [...] Read more.

Global warming is challenging the performances of medium-to-late ripening red Vitis vinifera cultivars whose harvest dates might be consistently anticipated at the detriment of still insufficient phenolic maturity. A 3-year study (2021–2023) was devised to compare cv Croatina—the most grown red cultivar in the Oltrepò Pavese district—with the following five autochthonous genotypes: Croà, Moradella, Mornasca, Ughetta, and Uva Rara. Weather trends, main yield components, and grape composition parameters were recorded each year; in two out of the three trial seasons, ripening curves for total soluble solids (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA) were also derived. In terms of yield performance, all minor varieties showed a level of basal node fruitfulness (about 1.1 clusters/shoot) high enough to perform short pruning, which was not possible to achieve in Croatina. As per grape quality at harvest, Uva Rara behaved quite similarly to Croatina, whereas Ughetta, Moradella, and Croà were judged to be unsuitable due to poor berry coloration at harvest (less than 0.7 mg/kg). Conversely, Mornasca’s performance was truly interesting and promising. In 2021 and 2023, Mornasca had delayed sugar accumulation, which was strongly uncoupled with total anthocyanins, which were not limited. In 2022, a hot and dry season, Mornasca outdid Croatina because the required TSS was assured, and the color significantly improved. The conclusion is that Mornasca is less susceptible than Croatina to imbalances in pigment formation or degradation, which typically occurs with berry overheating. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Grapevine Facing Climate Change: From Land, through Plants to Grapes and Wine)

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14 pages, 2218 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

A New Approach for Element Characterization of Grapevine Tissue with Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

by Renan Tosin, Filipe Monteiro-Silva, Rui Martins and Mario Cunha

Horticulturae 2024, 10(1), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10010082 - 15 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1559

Abstract

The determination of grape quality parameters is intricately linked to the mineral composition of the fruit; this relationship is increasingly affected by the impacts of climate change. The conventional chemical methodologies employed for the mineral quantification of grape tissues are expensive and impracticable [...] Read more.

The determination of grape quality parameters is intricately linked to the mineral composition of the fruit; this relationship is increasingly affected by the impacts of climate change. The conventional chemical methodologies employed for the mineral quantification of grape tissues are expensive and impracticable for widespread commercial applications. This paper utilized Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) to analyze the mineral constituents within the skin, pulp, and seeds of two distinct Vitis vinifera cultivars: a white cultivar (Loureiro) and a red cultivar (Vinhão). The primary objective was to discriminate the potential variations in the calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and nitrogen (N) concentrations and water content among different grape tissues, explaining their consequential impact on the metabolic constitution of the grapes and, by extension, their influence on various quality parameters. Additionally, the study compared the mineral contents of the white and red grape cultivars across three distinct time points post veraison. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed between the Loureiro and Vinhão cultivars in Ca concentrations across all the dates and tissues and for Mg in the skin and pulp, N in the pulp and seeds, and water content in the skin and pulp. In the Vinhão cultivar, Ca differences were found in the pulp across the dates, N in the seeds, and water content in the skin, pulp, and seeds. Comparing the cultivars within tissues, Ca exhibited differences in the pulp, Mg in the skin and pulp, N in the pulp and seeds, and water content in the skin, pulp, and seeds. These findings provide insights into the relationship between the grape mineral and water content, climatic factors, and viticulture practices within a changing climate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Grapevine Facing Climate Change: From Land, through Plants to Grapes and Wine)

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11 pages, 1073 KiB  

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Use of Overripe Grapes and Their Skins for Naturally Sweet Wines Production in a Warm Climate Zone

by Pablo Andreu-García, Ana Jiménez-Cantizano, Pau Sancho-Galán, Víctor Palacios, Remedios Castro-Mejías and Antonio Amores-Arrocha

Agronomy 2023, 13(11), 2686; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13112686 - 25 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1483

Abstract

Due to global warming and the effects associated with it, the wine industry is facing important challenges during the winemaking process and the production of high-quality wines. In this study, mistelas and naturally sweet wines were produced with the ‘Pedro Ximénez’ grapevine cultivar, [...] Read more.

Due to global warming and the effects associated with it, the wine industry is facing important challenges during the winemaking process and the production of high-quality wines. In this study, mistelas and naturally sweet wines were produced with the ‘Pedro Ximénez’ grapevine cultivar, overripened by sun drying and fermented with and without the presence of grape skins. Some oenological parameters related to alcoholic fermentation and low-molecular-weight polyphenols and furans were considered. Naturally sweet wines with skins presence showed a higher value of viable biomass than those with grape skins absence. However, in terms of density and ethanol production, sweet wines with grape skins absence presented lower and higher values, respectively, than the other elaborations. No significant differences in the organic acids and low-molecular-weight polyphenols and furans contents, with respect to the presence or absence of grape skins, were observed. In this sense, this research proves that the production of sweet wines from sun-dried grapes with the presence/absence of grape skins during alcoholic fermentation could be a possible choice in areas where agro-climatic conditions make it possible. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Grapevine Facing Climate Change: From Land, through Plants to Grapes and Wine)

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18 pages, 3862 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Monitoring of Seasonal Under-Vine CO₂ Effluxes in a Vineyard under Different Fertilization Practices

by Pasquale Cirigliano, Andrea Cresti, Andrea Rengo, Mauro Eugenio Maria D’Arcangelo and Elena Brunori

Horticulturae 2023, 9(10), 1107; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9101107 - 6 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1461

Abstract

Soil CO₂ efflux is a pivotal component of agro-ecosystem C budgets. It is considered a proxy indicator of biological activity and a descriptor of soil quality that is strongly linked to agricultural soil management. We investigated the effects of soil fertilization practices [...] Read more.

Soil CO₂ efflux is a pivotal component of agro-ecosystem C budgets. It is considered a proxy indicator of biological activity and a descriptor of soil quality that is strongly linked to agricultural soil management. We investigated the effects of soil fertilization practices (organo-mineral (OMN) versus chemical (C)) on soil under-vine CO₂ efflux (TSR) in an Italian rainfed vineyard (cv Chardonnay). The TSR was measured using the chamber technique as follows: a close multi-chamber system (prototype) was placed under a vine. Data (CO₂, temperature, and moisture) were acquired hourly during two consecutive years (2021 and 2022) from flowering to berry ripening. Physical–hydrological soil parameters were determined, and the seasonal trends of the TSR, soil temperature, and soil moisture were assessed. The TSR measurements fluctuated for the 2021 season, ranging from 1.03 to 1.97 µmol CO₂∙m⁻²∙s⁻¹ for the C treatment, while for the OMN treatment, the TSR measurements ranged from 1.24 to 1.71 µmol CO₂∙m⁻²∙s⁻¹. Extreme weather conditions (2022) highlighted the differences between the two agronomical practices, and a decoupling was found between the TSR and the soil water content, with the TSR being controlled primarily by the soil temperature. At the daily scale, the findings showed that the TSR reached its minimum in the early morning hours (5:00–8:00). The results promote organic–mineral nutrition as an improved practice for soil carbon storage (restoration of the organic fraction) by reducing the TSR, permitting the preservation of soil quality and stabilizing the hydrological traits by preserving the biotic activities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Grapevine Facing Climate Change: From Land, through Plants to Grapes and Wine)

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22 pages, 3575 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Alpine Viticulture and Climate Change: Environmental Resources and Limitations for Grapevine Ripening in Valtellina, Italy

by Davide Modina, Gabriele Cola, Davide Bianchi, Martino Bolognini, Sonia Mancini, Ivano Foianini, Adriano Cappelletti, Osvaldo Failla and Lucio Brancadoro

Plants 2023, 12(11), 2068; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12112068 - 23 May 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1936

Abstract

The effects of the spatial and temporal variability of environmental factors on viticulture are particularly important in mountainous wine regions due to their complex geomorphology. A typical example is Valtellina, an Italian valley in the middle of the Alpine chain known for its [...] Read more.

The effects of the spatial and temporal variability of environmental factors on viticulture are particularly important in mountainous wine regions due to their complex geomorphology. A typical example is Valtellina, an Italian valley in the middle of the Alpine chain known for its wine production. The aim of this work was to assess the effects of the current climatic conditions on Alpine viticultural production by evaluating the relationship between sugar accumulation, acid degradation, and environmental factors. To achieve this objective, a 21-year time series of ripening curves from 15 vineyards (cv Nebbiolo) along the Valtellina wine-growing belt was collected. The ripening curves were then analysed in conjunction with meteorological data to assess the influence of geographical and climatic characteristics, as well as other limiting environmental factors, on grape ripening. Valtellina is currently characterised by a stable warm phase, with yearly precipitation slightly higher than in the past. In this context, the timing of ripening and the level of total acidity are correlated with altitude, temperature, and summer thermal excess. Precipitation shows good correlations with all the maturity indices, so higher precipitation leads to late ripening and higher total acidity. Considering the oenological goal of local wineries, the results suggest that the Alpine area of Valtellina is currently facing favourable environmental conditions, with early development and increased levels of sugar while maintaining good levels of acidity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Grapevine Facing Climate Change: From Land, through Plants to Grapes and Wine)

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14 pages, 2201 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Improving the Oenological Potential of Grapes for Prosecco PDO Sparkling Wine Thanks to Nitrogen Fertigation

by Alessandro Zanchin, Lorenzo Lovat, Patrick Marcuzzo, Marco Sozzi, Francesco Marinello and Diego Tomasi

Agronomy 2023, 13(5), 1369; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13051369 - 12 May 2023

Viewed by 1524

Abstract

Several researchers stated that climate change effects are arising quickly in the Mediterranean region. Temperature increasing and droughty summers are two of the most common patterns threatening sparkling wines’ grape quality. The present study investigated nitrogen nutrition to enhance acidity and preserve the [...] Read more.

Several researchers stated that climate change effects are arising quickly in the Mediterranean region. Temperature increasing and droughty summers are two of the most common patterns threatening sparkling wines’ grape quality. The present study investigated nitrogen nutrition to enhance acidity and preserve the aromatic compound on Vitis vinifera var. Glera for producing white sparkling wine. Half of the one-hectare vineyard placed in northeast Italy was fertigated with nitrogen during summer, while the control half received only mineral fertilization in spring as usual in the area. The trial lasted three years. The grapes’ quality was monitored and compared at harvest. The statistical analysis proved an affordable trend among treatments in which the fertigated grapes showed, on average, more free amino acids (+32%), more yeast assimilable nitrogen (+71%), more acidity (+21%), and lower total soluble solids concentration (−3%) than the control grapes. Energy storage, fruit yield, and wood mass were measured too. The study proved the nitrogen supply did not affect either fruit yield or plant vigor. Therefore, nitrogen fertigation has been confirmed to be a reasonable growing practice to preserve wine’s aroma and acidity against climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Grapevine Facing Climate Change: From Land, through Plants to Grapes and Wine)

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