Effect of Berry Weight and its Components on the Contents of Sugars and Anthocyanins of Three Varieties of Vitis vinifera L. under Different Water Supply Conditions
Abstract
The influence of berry size on wine quality is a matter of debate. With the aim to contribute to that debate,a study of the influence of the varieties Tannat, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon on berry weight, on
berry components (flesh, seeds and skin) and on the varieties’ oenological potential under different water
supply conditions was carried out in Uruguay between 2001 and 2004. Replicated samples of 250 berries
per vineyard were gathered at technological maturity at harvest. Berry weight and volume, weight ratio
among each of the components and anthocyanin potential (ApH1 ) were measured and a basic analysis of
the must was carried out. The vine water status was established through the measurement of pre-dawn
leaf water potential. The tests showed that berry weight and sugar content were positively correlated and
depended on variety, as was evident from the proportions of the berry components. Flesh weight was
the most important determinant of berry weight, and flesh weight changed with the weight of the seeds.
Larger values of these two components explained the heavier berries of the Tannat variety. On the other
hand, Tannat berries had higher contents and concentrations of anthocyanins and sugars, and displayed
the largest variation in these chemical compounds. Berry weight, weight and proportion of skin or their
relationships did not determine anthocyanin contents or concentration. In response to the years’ water
conditions, different varieties showed different behaviours, explaining the variation in weight and in the
composition of the berries.
Downloads
A copyright form will be e-mailed to the corresponding author when the manuscript has been accepted for publication.
In principle, the Author agrees to the following when he/she signes the copyright agreement:
I hereby assign to the SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY FOR ENOLOGY AND VITICULTURE (SASEV) the copyright of the text, tables, figures, supplementary material, illustrations and other information (the Material) submitted with the manuscript to be published in SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ENOLOGY AND VITICULTURE (SAJEV) (the "Article"). The copyright becomes effective from the date the Article has been accepted for publication in SAJEV.
This is an open access journal, and the authors and journal should be properly acknowledged, when works are cited.
Author's may use the publishers version for teaching purposes, in books, theses, dissertations, conferences and conference papers.
A copy of the authors' publishers version may also be hosted on the following websites:
- Non-commercial personal webpage or blog.
- Institutional webpage.
- Authors Institutional Repository.
The following notice should accompany such a posting on the website: This is an electronic version of an article published in SAJEV, Volume XXX, number XXX, pages XXX - XXX, DOI. Authors should also supply a hyperlink to the original paper or indicate where the original paper (www.journals.ac.za/index.php/sajev/) may be found.
Authors publishers version, affiliated with the Stellenbosch University will be automatically deposited in the University's Institutional Repository SUNScholar.
Articles as a whole, may not be re-published with another journal.
The following license applies:
Attribution CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
