Viticulture research
Cover crops enhance vineyard arthropod diversity
Intensive agriculture threatens arthropod biodiversity,1,2,3 impacts the functioning of ecosystems,4 and threatens the sustainable production of farming systems due to the loss of vital ecosystem services5,6,7 e.g., pollination and pest control. Vineyard with...
Trellis effects on wine composition (Part 2): Aroma
Yield is a primary objective in the industry and can be maximised by trellising systems. Besides yield per vine, synthesis and further evolution of chemical compounds may be altered by vine architecture, and this is the core subject for the current study. The aim...
Trellis effects on wine composition (Part 1): Background
Trellising systems are driving the mechanisms that alter canopy microclimates, consequently affecting yield and quality of grapes. Viticulture practices affecting grape and wine composition In the vineyard, the bunch zone environment is variable due to...
Understanding the “terroir effect” (Part 2)
The taste of any given wine, regardless of cultivar, is inextricably linked to its origin. Environmental factors, such as soil and climate, influence organoleptic characters and by deconstructing measurable soil and climate parameters, this influence on a wine’s...
Viticulture research turns over a new leaf
The launch of the Welgevallen Training and Research Vineyards inaugurates a new era in viticulture and oenology research and training in South Africa. The vineyards will offer students and researchers throughout the industry access to world-class facilities.
Understanding the “terroir effect” (Part 1)
The taste of any given wine, regardless of cultivar, is inextricably linked to its origin. Environmental factors, such as soil and climate, influence organoleptic characters and by deconstructing measurable soil and climate parameters, this influence on a wine’s...