Investigation of geographic origin of wine from border regions: Potential limitations and possibilities of different analytical methods and combinations of methods to identify the correct side of the border

In the presented project the investigation on discrimination of geographic origin of wine in from border areas is carried out. Authentic wine samples from the border areas of Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia (and from Serbia) are investigated and compared by applying different physico-chemical methods (e.g. IRMS, NMR, ICP-MS, ICP-OES, EPR, HPLC, UV-VIS, etc.). The comparison of the data sets from the participating countries and the different applied methods will show, to which extent a differentiation can still be achieved in the border areas of the respective countries, which methods prove most efficient and sensitive and if a combination of methods will lead to an increased sensitivity. Furthermore, we also investigate the causes for the potential differentiation, which might be environmentally determined, due to different agricultural and/or enological practices. Results from the first investigated vintage 2016 show a good separation of the respective geographic origins by isotope ratios and element concentrations as well as by other parameters. The relevant parameters for differentiation now have to be critically evaluated to exclude potential lab influences

Sapphires related to alkali basalts from the Cerova Highlands, Western Carpathians (southern Slovakia): composition and origin

Blue, grey-pink and pink sapphires from the Cerová Highlands, Western Carpathians (southern Slovakia) have been studied using CL, LA-ICP-MS, EMPA, and oxygen isotope methods. The sapphire occurs as (1) clastic heavy mineral in the secondary sandy filling of a Pliocene alkali basaltic maar at Hajnáčka, and (2) crystals in a pyroxenebearing syenite/anorthoclasite xenolith of Pleistocene alkali basalt near Gortva. Critical evaluation of compositional diagrams (Fe, Ti, Cr, Ga, Mg contents, Fe/Ti, Cr/Ga, Ga/Mg ratios) suggests a magmatic origin for clastic blue sapphires with lower Cr and Mg, but higher Fe and Ti concentrations in comparison to the grey-pink and pink varietes, as well as similar compositional trends with blue sapphire from the Gortva magmatic xenolith. Moreover, blue sapphires show similar δ<sup>18</sup>O values: 5.1 ‰ in the Gortva xenolith, 3.8 and 5.85 ‰ in the Hajnáčka placer, closely comparable to mantle to lower crustal magmatic rocks. On the contrary, pink and grey-pink sapphires show higher Cr and Mg, but lower Fe and Ti contents and their composition points to a metamorphic (metasomatic) origin

Investigation of geographic origin of wine from border regions: Results from investigation of two vintages

Investigation on discrimination of geographic origin in border areas is carried out by investigating and comparing authentic wine samples from the border areas of Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia (and from Serbia) by applying different physico-chemical methods (e.g. IRMS, NMR, ICP-MS, ICP-OES, EPR, HPLC, UV-VIS, etc…). The comparison of the data sets from the participating countries and the different applied methods demonstrates, to which extent a differentiation can still be achieved in the border areas of the respective countries, which methods prove most efficient and sensitive and if a combination of methods leads to an increased sensitivity. Furthermore, we also investigate the potential causes for the differentiation, as the environment, different agricultural practices or enology. Analysis of two consecutive vintages shows significant variations between the two years, complicating direct comparison of regions beyond individual vintages. Still, several parameters are identified enabling correct and complete differentiation. However, some of them have been found to represent lab effects, whereas others are interpreted as resulting from different agricultural practices or environmentally driven. Only the latter two ones, if consistent, can be used for discrimination of geographic origin

Investigation of geographic origin of wine from border regions: Potential limitations and possibilities of different analytical methods and combinations of methods to identify the correct side of the border

In the presented project the investigation on discrimination of geographic origin of wine in from border areas is carried out. Authentic wine samples from the border areas of Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia (and from Serbia) are investigated and compared by applying different physico-chemical methods (e.g. IRMS, NMR, ICP-MS, ICP-OES, EPR, HPLC, UV-VIS, etc.). The comparison of the data sets from the participating countries and the different applied methods will show, to which extent a differentiation can still be achieved in the border areas of the respective countries, which methods prove most efficient and sensitive and if a combination of methods will lead to an increased sensitivity. Furthermore, we also investigate the causes for the potential differentiation, which might be environmentally determined, due to different agricultural and/or enological practices. Results from the first investigated vintage 2016 show a good separation of the respective geographic origins by isotope ratios and element concentrations as well as by other parameters. The relevant parameters for differentiation now have to be critically evaluated to exclude potential lab influences