Phenolic Characterization of Cabernet Sauvignon Wines From Different Geographical Indications of Mendoza, Argentina: Effects of Plant Material and Environment

MUÑOZ, FLAVIO; URVIETA, ROY; BUSCEMA, FERNANDO; RASSE, MANUEL; FONTANA, ARIEL; BERLI, FEDERICO

Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

Frontiers

Año: 2021 vol. 5

The chemical and sensory characteristics of the wines are related to the geographicalorigin of the grape, as a result of the interplay between the plant material (G), itsacclimatization to the environment (E) and the human factor that influences both thevineyard and the winery. The range of phenotypes that a single genotype can expressdepending on its environment is known as phenotypic plasticity and is the result ofG×E interaction. The present study evaluated the independent and interactive effects ofCabernet Sauvignon plant materials (G: Clone 7 and Mount Eden) implanted in differentgeographical indications of Mendoza, Argentina (E: Agrelo, Pampa El Cepillo, Altamiraand Gualtallary) according to fruit yield and phenolic profiles of wines. The experimentwas carried out during 2018 and 2019 vintages using a multifactorial design. Whenberries reached 24 ◦Brix, the clusters were harvested, analyzed and wines elaboratedby a standardized procedure. Then, the anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin phenolicprofiles of wines were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with diodearray and fluorescence detection (HPLC-DAD?FLD). The results revealed significantG×E interactions for yield traits, including the number of clusters per plant. Differentialchemical composition and quality parameters of the resulting wines, markedly affectedby E, were observed; that is the geographical location of the vineyards. There weresimilarities in the phenolic composition between Pampa El Cepillo and Altamira, whilelarger differences between Agrelo and Gualtallary were observed. Gualtallary presentedthe highest levels of anthocyanins, quercetin and trans-resveratrol. The increased amountof these compounds in Gualtallary was associated with an increased UV-B exposureof plants at this high altitude environment. This is the first report that characterizes theeffects of plant material and environment for Cabernet Sauvignon. These results are ofoenological and viticulture interest for the wine industry demonstrating that the selectionof the plant material and the vineyard location for Cabernet Sauvignon can considerablyaffect the quality attributes of wines.