INFLUENCE OF VINE VIGOR GROWTH ON CODREANCA (BLACK MAGIC) TABLE GRAPES QUALITY

The stressful climatic conditions of the last years have led to the need to pay more attention to the native varieties, which are adapted to the local conditions and ensure the obtaining of quality harvests. Autochthonous varieties of table grapes have dietary properties, attractive exterior appearance and excellent taste qualities.This work presents a 3-year study of the variability of grape composition of Codreanca (Black Magic) – a Moldavian grape variety, in a vineyard located in Purcari (Republic of Moldova). Grapevine were different pruned according to growth vigor: low - 18 – 22 buds (1 spur and 2 canes); medium vigor – 24 - 28 buds (1 spur and 3 canes) and high vigor – 30 - 34 buds (2 spurs and 4 canes). Climatic conditions and growth vigor had an important influence on vine fertility and productivity. Results showed that vine balance at which vegetative and reproductive growth can be sustained with adequate fruit production and desired fruit quality was found to be for Codreanca on vines with medium vigor. Grapes harvested from medium vigor vine recorded optimum values of quality (sugar and acid content, sugar/acid ratio) and cluster indexes (average weight, lenght and width, berry lenght and width, berry weight, grape and berry composition, cluster structure index, berry index, berry composition index, berry sfericity and cluster compactness). Viticultural practices used by grape growers can also increase or decrease vine growth as needed, to obtain high quality production

The Economic Impact of Paraffin Type and Substrate Mixture on the Production of Grafted Vines—Case Study Muscat Ottonel

The study focussed on a nursery by analyzing its strategic choices to obtain the best profit on grapevine planting material. The production of grapevine grafts involves high labor and material costs. In this study, Muscat Ottonel grape variety grafted on Oppenheim Sellection 4 rootstock was paraffined with different types of wax: standard wax (SW), paraffin with 8-chinolinol (8C) and paraffin with oxiquinolein (OX) (before callusing), and silver color (S), blue color (B) and standard (SW) paraffin (after grafting callusing and before planting in field nursery). After uprooting from the field nursery, all variants were paraffined with red paraffin for storage. The unit cost price was calculated based on total expenses and the yield of grafts obtained in the vine field nursery. The lowest price per unit cost was recorded for the 8C/S variant, directly related to the first quality yield after uprooting from the nursery. The highest profit rate was for the 8C/S variant, while the lowest was registered to the SW/SW variant. The grafts of the 8C/S variant were potted in three rooting mixtures. Variant B (forest ground 60% + black peat 25% + river sand 10% + conifer sawdust 5%) generated the highest yield of the potted grafted vine with a rate of profit of over 170%, due to the lower production cost and high yield of potted vines, while variant C (forest ground 70% + river sand 15% + conifer sawdust 15%), determinate the lowest yield. Results may be useful in orienting the small-to-medium grapevine planting materials producers to choose the best cooperative strategies, which nurseries might implement to enhance their competitiveness and survive in the long-run

Evaluation of Volatile Compounds during Ageing with Oak Chips and Oak Barrel of Muscat Ottonel Wine

The aim of this work was to compare the variations of alcohols compounds in white wine Muscat Ottonel variety aged in the presence of untoasted oak chips, toasted oak chips and untoasted barrel, considering three ageing periods—30, 60, and 90 days. The liquid-liquid extraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry were used to compare the concentrations of the volatile constituents of Muscat Ottonel wines. A total of 51 volatile compounds were quantified. Alcohols, terpenic and carboxylic acids decreased with ageing time, whereas esters, lactones, and phenolic compounds increased due esterification processes. The chips toast level, method, and duration of ageing, significantly influenced the content of aromatic compounds. Partial least squares regression (PLS-R) clearly discriminated the initial wine and also the wines aged with toasted and untoasted medium. The compounds (alcohols and terpenes) that impart distinctive aroma of Muscat Ottonel were enhanced by untoasted medium. Light toasted oak chips enhanced wood volatile components (acetovanillone and p-vinyl guaiacol). This study provides important scientific results on the ageing of Muscat Ottonel wines with practical economic benefits to winemakers. Alternative less expensive ageing methods and improved control on the wood components extraction process, may contribute to obtaining high-quality wines

Influence of Oak Chips and Oak Barrel Ageing on Volatile Profile in Chardonnay Wine of Romania

The influence of the addition of oak chips and barrel ageing on basic wine parameters and volatile compounds of Chardonnay wines has been studied. Chardonnay wines were obtained by the traditional wine-making process. Oak chips (4 g/L—non-toasted and light toasted) were added at the final stage of the winemaking process for ageing 1, 2 and 3 months, respectively. Also, the control wine was aged in non-toasted barrels for the same period of time. Following Liquid-liquid extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, alcohols, esters, fatty acids, lactones, and phenolic compounds were identified and quantified. The light toasted wine was clearly separated by phenolic compounds (vanillin, p-vinyl guaiacol and acetovanillone). The floral aroma supplied by 2-phenylethanol was slowly increased by ageing with odor activity values (OAV) higher in aged samples than control wine (1.07). The vanilla scent could be easily perceived in all aged samples, mainly for light toasted chip-treated samples with OAV values between 2.30 and 2.37. After 3 months, the volatile compounds of wine from non-toasted medium (chips and barrels) were almost similar from the volatile profile point of view. This could have economic and vinification management implications since oak barrels are expensive and the wine oak barrel aging is a long process. All wines studied in this research can provide a viable alternative to young varietal wines