The uniqueness of a wine is influenced by various factors, including grape variety, terroir, microclimate, and vineyard surroundings. While grape variety may be cultivated by other producers, the combination of microclimate, terroir, and surroundings creates almost unique conditions for each plot.
However, the influence of the environment on wine characteristics is still poorly understood. While some wines exhibit notes associated with floral, forest, or aromatic plants, few studies have established relationships between environmental aromas and wine aromas. Studies have shown, for example, that vineyards near eucalyptus trees increase eucalyptol in wines, and smoke from fires can increase phenols like guaiacol and cresol in grapes and wine.
For these reasons, it is considered interesting to study the components of the botanical landscape around vineyards, their aromatic components, and whether they are present in wines produced in that environment. The project aims to identify the main elements of the botanical landscape around certain vineyards and their relationship with wine aromas; obtain aromatic profiles of various cultivated or spontaneous plants growing near vineyards; identify wine aromas through sensory and instrumental analysis of the studied plots; and improve aroma concentration through winemaking techniques and by promoting the planting of certain plant species.
Participating in this project are Vinyes Domènech, Cavas del Castillo de Perelada, Huguet de Can Feixes, La Fou Celler SL, and Celler Lagravera SLU; the Catalan Institute of Vine and Wine (INCAVI) serves as the technological partner and the project is administratively coordinated by INNOVI.
This project is co-financed by the Department of Agriculture and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (Feader) under Operation 16.01.01 of the Rural Development Program of Catalonia 2014-2020.
The project, initiated in December, will conclude in September 2022, aiming to represent a first step in understanding the interaction between the natural environment and the production of quality grapes.
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