Between Sky and Earth

Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology, 2014

It is difficult to discern the true wild ancestor of cultivated grape (Vitis vinifera L.) because the Mediterranean Basin has a wide variety of wild forms. These include escapees and seed-propagated weedy types growing in natural habitat, occurring mainly in disturbed surroundings and cultivated clones of the grapevine (Zohary & Hopf 2001: 152). Recent genetic studies have proven that cultivated grapevines growing in different regions have genetic diversity and heterozygosity which can only have been established through an influx of genes from nearby wild V. sylvestris populations (Imazio et al. 2006: 1009). Vitis sylvestris C. C. Gmelin is now considered to be the wild race of the cultivated grape and is indigenous to southern Europe, the Near East, and the southern Caspian belt (Zohary & Hopf 2001: 152). Vitis vinifera (L.) (grape) is the sole Mediterranean representative of the genus Vitis (Zohary & Hopf 2001: 155). The plants are monosexual with the female flowers only ripening into grapes. Vitis vinifera is hermaphroditic and occasionally, with the escape of cultivated vines into the wild, reverts back to Vitis sylvestris (wild variety) in all characteristics except for being a hermaphrodite, and the seeds of these escapees remain much closer to those of the cultivated form. In terms of elevation, the plant can establish itself at a height of 400 m above sea level and is rarely found as high as 800 m. The cultivated Vitis vinifera has a more restricted distribution than its wild variety (Renfrew 1973: 125; Olmo 1995).

OENO One, 2005

This paper deals with the technical and/or practical treatment of terroir as a study concept, together with related functional aspects. Functioning of the terroir relies on the relation between climate, soil and vine. In addition to this interaction, a comprehensive study concept for terroir requires the consideration of viticultural and enological sciences and techniques necessary to ensure the assurance of wine quality, together with spatial aspects of the grapevine response to environmental factors, as required for vineyard management. In order to comprehend the quality of the harvest, it is necessary to understand the relationship « whole plant -berry ». An easy field and laboratory method to study the relationship between the whole plant and berry and the consequences thereof for wine quality is proposed. Knowledge of grapevine water status and the biochemical evolution within the grape berry from berry set onwards are important issues for the understanding of the role that terroir plays with respect to the quality of the harvest and the wine style or « typicality ». Résumé : Le terroir est un concept qui nécessite une approche globale permettant une étude combinée du climat, du sol, de la vigne et du rôle de l'homme. Les sciences de la viticulture et de l'oenologie sont alors nécessaires pour comprendre les déterminants de la qualité du vin en relation avec les facteurs de l'environnement. En connexion aux études de terroir qui portent sur le climat et le sol, nous proposons une approche globale qui intègre l'étude des relations «vigne -raisin -vin ». L'état hydrique de la vigne est l'un des éléments clefs du fonctionnement de la vigne et de la qualité du raisin en relation avec le style de vin. Cet article rappelle les méthodes de référence pour la mesure de l'état hydrique de la vigne et les conséquences possibles des déficits hydriques sur le fonctionnement de la plante et de ses fruits.

Vine phenology, like many other cultivated species, is highly determined by temperature and solar radiation. This relationship can be modeled using simple numerical expressions to quantify the effect of these climatic variables upon the development rate. This study validated the concept of thermal time, expressed by the concept of degree-days, for predicting the phenological evolution of several table grape cultivars (Vitisvinifera L.). To model vine phenology we used the M itscherlich monomolecular equation and the Eichorn& Lorenz sequence. Phenology was evaluated for three cultivars throughout the growing season in several sites located in the climatic gradient ranging from a desertic to subhumid climates of Central Chile. Upon comparison, the resulting models for different cultivars showed a high degree of coincidence, especially during the embryogenic phase, which suggest the possibility of using a unique model, adapted to the characteristics of each cultivar.

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2022

Grapes and Wine

Table grapes are fruits intended for fresh human consumption due to their sensory attributes and nutritional value. The objective of this chapter is to review the existing knowledge about table grapes, including a description of different varieties, with particular emphasis on the new highly appreciated seedless varieties. Following an introductory note on the world distribution and production of table grapes, also considering the impact of climate change, selected varieties of table grapes will be characterized in terms of their physiology, postharvest features, and consumer preferences. A morphological description of each variety, with emphasis on grape skin, grape rachis and grape cluster will be included. A final note on the drying of table grapes into raisins, and the most appropriate varieties for drying, will be given. The major changes occurring throughout the growth, development, and ripening phases of table grapes production will be discussed, regarding both physical (skin...

Annals of …, 2010

Due to the extraordinary drought resistance of the grapevine, viticulture without irrigation in the winter rainfall coastal areas of South Africa is a feasible and commonly used practice. Wine quality is largely determined by the quality of the grapes from which it is made. Grapevine physiology is affected both directly and indirectly by water stress, which may vary according to soil type and prevailing atmospheric conditions. The water status of the grapevine can affect grape composition profoundly, either directly or indirectly, in either a positive or negative way, depending on the degree as well as the duration of water stress. There are three important factors involved in the development of water stress, namely the transpiration rate, the rate of water movement from the soil to the roots, and the relationship of soil water potential to leaf water potential. All three these factors are affected by atmospheric and/or soil conditions. In warm winelands such as South Africa (Western Cape), with a mediterranean climate which is characterised by a hot, dry summer period, the most important characteristic of soil is its ability to supply sufficient water to the grapevine during the entire growing season. Leaf water potential (Ψ l) has gained wide acceptance as a fundamental measure of grapevine water status, and has been widely applied in viticultural research. Shortly before dawn, Ψ l approaches equilibrium with soil water potential and reaches a maximum daily value. During the 2002/03 growing season, atmospheric conditions were relatively warm and dry in comparison to the long-term averages of previous seasons. These conditions accentuated the effects of certain soil properties that may not come forward during wetter, normal seasons. The usually wet Tukulu soil at Helshoogte was drier than expected during the 2002/03 season compared to the Hutton soil. Due to more vigorous growth on the Tukulu soil, grapevines extracted more soil water early in the season, leading to a low soil water matric potential and more water stress in the grapevines. Due to the higher vigour, resulting in more canopy shading, and more water stress, the dominant aroma in wines from the Tukulu soil was fresh vegetative. The Hutton soil maintained consistency with regards to both yield and wine quality compared to previous seasons. On the other hand the Tukulu soil supported a higher yield, but with lower than normal wine quality. The Avalon soil at Papegaaiberg maintained the highest soil water potential towards the end of the season, probably due to capillary supplementation from the subsoil. Grapevines on the Tukulu soil at Papegaaiberg experienced much higher water stress than ones on the other three soils, especially during the later part of the season. This could be ascribed to a combination of factors, the most important being the severe soil compaction at a shallow depth, seriously limiting rooting depth and root distribution, which is detrimental to grapevine performance. Both the soil water status and atmospheric conditions played important roles in determining the amount of water stress that the grapevines experienced at different stages. The air temperature and vapour pressure deficit throughout the season were consistently lower at Helshoogte, the cooler terroir, compared to Papegaaiberg, the warmer terroir. At flowering, Ψ l was lower for grapevines at Helshoogte than at Papegaaiberg, showing that diurnal grapevine water status was primarily controlled by soil water content. The difference in grapevine water status between the two terroirs gradually diminished until it was reversed during the post harvest period when Ψ l in grapevines at Papegaaiberg tended to be lower compared to those at Helshoogte. The relatively low pre-dawn Ψ l at Helshoogte indicated that the grapevines were subjected to excessive water stress resulting from the low soil water content. However, grapevines at Helshoogte did not suffer material water stress (i.e. Ψ l <-1.20 MPa) during the warmest part of the day, suggesting that partial stomatal closure prevented the development of excessive water stress in the grapevines. This suggests that low pre-dawn Ψ l values do not necessarily imply that grapevines will experience more water stress over the warmer part of the day, or visa versa. This does not rule out the possibility that side-effects of partial stomatal closure, such as reduced photosynthesis, can have negative effects on grapevine functioning in general. These results also suggest that measurement of diurnal Ψ l cycles at various phenological stages is required to understand and quantify terroir effects on grapevine water status. Dit dui aan dat lae voorsonop Ψ l waardes nie noodwendig impliseer dat wingerdstokke meer waterstres gedurende die warmste gedeelte van die dag sal ondervind nie, of visa versa. Dit sluit nie die moontlikheid uit dat negatiewe neweeffekte van gedeeltelike huidmondjiesluiting, soos 'n vermindering in fotosintese, 'n negatiewe effek kan hê op die wingerdstok se funksionering in die algemeen nie. Hierdie resultate stel voor dat die meting van daaglikse Ψ l siklusse gedurende verskeie fenologiese stadia benodig word om die effek van terroir op die wingerdstok se waterstatus te verstaan en te kwantifiseer. This thesis is dedicated to my father, Giel Laker, for his belief in me, and all his inspiration. Hierdie tesis is opgedra aan my pa, Giel Laker, vir sy geloof in my en al sy inspirasie. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the following persons and institutions: My Heavenly Father. The Agricultural Research Council, in whose service this work was done, for the support of this study. Winetech, for their partial financial support of the project. The Soil Science department of ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, for assistance and support, and in particular Dr. K. Conradie, Ms. A du Toit, Ms. K. Freitag, Mr. T. Harris and Ms. I. van Huyssteen for their assistance in carrying out the technical work. Carolyn Howell and Daan Brink, for their immeasurable help and support, especially in the field. My promoter, Prof. E. Archer and co-promoter, Dr. P.A. Myburgh, for their guidance, encouragement, critical evaluation and enthusiasm. My family, for their support and encouragement; and especially my father, for his interest, motivation and inspiration during this study. Hanno Bezuidenhout, for his love, support and reassurance throughout my studies. PREFACE This thesis is presented as a compilation of five chapters. Each chapter is introduced separately and is written according to the style of the South African Journal of Enology and Viticulture. Chapter 1 General Introduction and Project Aims Chapter 2 Literature review Evapotranspiration and grapevine water status in the coastal regions of the Western Cape. Chapter 3 Research Results The effect of soil type and mesoclimate on the evapotranspiration of unirrigated Sauvignon blanc/99Richter. Chapter 4 Research Results The effect of soil type and mesoclimate on the water relations in unirrigated Sauvignon blanc/99Richter.

Social Anthropology/Anthropologie sociale

English : Amid ongoing social and ecological transformations, vignerons (winegrowers) and the vines in their care are responding to the impacts of climatic and other forms of change. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in the eastern French winegrowing region of Alsace, I turn to the sensorium as the site where changing landscapes are forcing people to rethink the meaning of terroir, a key term in which winegrowing is articulated as a practice. I go beyond typical renderings of this French concept, often defined in terms of interactions among its various components (e.g. soil, wind and human know-how), to bring attention to the sensory relationships that connect them. Through walking and semi-directed interviews, as well as participant observations, with informants who represent thirteen different winegrowing sites, I generated data that explicate what is changing, how changes are being addressed and what this means for understanding the very place(s) in which place-based wine produce...

Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, 2017

Background and Aims: This study focused on the impact of vine vigour on Sangiovese grapes and wines, applying a highresolution remote sensing technique by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform to identify vigour at the single vine level within a vineyard. Methods and Results: A factorial field experiment was established combining two vigour classes (low and high) and two bunch positions within the canopy (north-facing and south-facing). The remote sensing technique by the UAV platform identified the heterogeneity in terms of vigour within the vineyard. Vine vigour influenced significantly the composition of anthocyanins, flavonols and flavan-3-ol monomers of the grapes and wines. Conclusions: The work confirmed that UAV-based remote sensing enabled the successful evaluation of vine vigour at high resolution and that vigour influences the flavonoid monomeric compounds as a function of bunch position within the canopy. Significance of the Study: Understanding the impact of spatial variability in a vineyard on grape composition should assist the viticulturist and winemaker toward the adoption of adequate viticultural management operations capable of adding value to their wines.

Interciencia, 2016

espanolEste trabajo resulta de una investigacion sobre los conocimientos tradicionales de descendientes de inmigrantes italianos acerca de la produccion de uva, realizada a traves de entrevistas semi estructuradas con cinco viticultores de la comunidad de Palermo, municipio de Lauro Muller, sur del Estado de Santa Catarina, Brasil. Segun los entrevistados, ellos producen uva de la misma forma que sus padres y abuelos, utilizando el conocimiento transmitido oralmente entre generaciones. Los viticultores relataron que diversos factores, tales como el sol y el viento, son importantes para escoger el local de plantacion de las parras, y que no acostumbran intercambiar mudas con otros productores, a pesar de los lazos de parentesco y de amistad. El estudio concluye que el conocimiento empirico de los viticultores corrobora los datos presentes en la literatura, y que el habito de utilizar siempre su propio material genetico para los esqueje puede estar ocasionando la aparicion de nuevas e...