Influence of Irrigation Strategies on the Physicochemical Properties of ‘Syrah’ Wine Produced in São Francisco Valley

Abstract

Deficit irrigation is used to control grapevine vegetative vigor and the grape composition can be influenced by soil water content. The minerals contained in the grapes are responsible for the physicochemical properties and stability of the wine. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of irrigation strategies on the properties of 'Syrah' wines produced in São Francisco Valley, Brazil. The irrigation treatments used were FI (full irrigation), RDI (regulated deficit irrigation), and DI (deficit irrigation). Winemaking was performed by traditional methods, followed by stabilization and bottling. Density, alcohol content, pH, total and volatile acidity, total and free sulfur dioxide, total polyphenols index, color intensity, and total anthocyanin content were determined, as well as the contents of Ca, Mg, P, K, Na, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb. The properties of wines were influenced by irrigation strategies, except for the content of total anthocyanin, Mg, P, Na, Cu, and Mn. The contents of Cd, Cr, Fe, and Zn were similar in the vines. The wines demonstrated varied properties with different typicalities. Irrigation strategies can be recommended for different products, FI for young and cheap, and DI and RDI for aged and more expensive wines.

Responses of 'Syrah' grapevine to deficit irrigation in the Brazilian semi-arid region

“…Still in relation to that region, wines originated from grapes from RDI and DI vines showed higher values of alcohol content, malic and lactic acids, flavonols, stilbenes, anthocyanins, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate and procyanidin A2, TPI, and color intensity, and can be classified as aged wine, while wine originated from full irrigation vines showed the highest values of ascorbic and tartaric acids, lowest alcohol content and phenolic compounds in general, and can be classified as young wines. This enabled the production of wines with specific characteristics that should please many consumers with different tastes (Nascimento et al, 2016;Oliveira et al, 2018).…”