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Prohexadione-calcium (prohexadione-Ca) was applied to field-grown Cabernet franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Seyval to evaluate rates and timing effects on fruit yield components and on fruit and wine composition. Berries per cluster, berry weight, cluster weight, and clusters per shoot in the subsequent season were all decreased by multiple, prebloom plus postbloom, applications to Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet franc. Similar reductions in current season components of yield were observed with Seyval. Application (250 mg/L) to single clusters of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay at bloom, or in the one-to-two-week prebloom period decreased fruit set, whereas applications one to two weeks postbloom reduced berry weight, with no impact on fruit set. Berry weight reduction correlated to increased color intensity (420 nm + 520 nm), total anthocyanins, total phenols, and phenol-free glycosyl-glucose (PFGG) in Cabernet Sauvignon. In a separate experiment, prohexadione-Ca increased Cabernet franc must color intensity, total anthocyanins, and total phenols, despite having, minimal effects on berry weight or crop yield. Aroma and flavor triangle difference tests did not distinguish treatment differences with young Cabernet franc wines. This study of prohexadione-Ca effects on grape reproductive development illustrated that berry set and berry weight were responsive to application timing, with the one-to-two-week period after bloom most sensitive to reductions in berry weight. The concurrent effects on fruit composition were generally positive, while the full impact on wine quality remains equivocal, but worthy of further evaluation.

The ability of two electronic nose systems (conducting polymer and surface acoustic wave-based) to differentiate volatiles of grapes and wines treated with an aqueous ethanol spray (5% v/v) at veraison was evaluated. Ethanol spray induced fruit ethylene production immediately posttreatment, which then declined progressively. The electronic nose evaluations of grape volatiles were compared with Cabernet franc and Merlot physicochemistry and with wine gas chromatographic and aroma sensory data. Canonical discriminant and principal component analysis found that both electronic nose systems and the physicochemical measures (Brix, TA, pH, color intensity and hue, total phenols, glycosides, and berry weight) were able to discriminate between ethanol-treated and untreated grapes and wines for both cultivars. Grape physicochemical treatment differences were due mainly to variations in hue, phenolic-free glycosides, and total phenols. Aroma sensory evaluations using a consumer panel differentiated between ethanol treatments and controls for Merlot, but not for Cabernet franc wines. Virginia Wine Board Virginia Agricultural Council

The effect of grapevine canopy side (north versus south and east versus west) on grape and wine volatiles of Cabernet franc was evaluated during two growing seasons using two electronic nose systems based on conducting polymers and surface acoustic waves. Data from three sampling dates per season from both electronic noses were compared with physicochemistry and wine aroma sensory evaluations. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses generally indicated grape physicochemistry indices could not differentiate consistently (p > 0.05) between canopy sides across growing seasons and sampling dates. Both electronic nose (ENose) systems provided complete discrimination of canopy sides for grapes and wine using canonical discriminant analysis. On average, the surface acoustic wave-based ENose explained 80% for the conducting polymer-based ENose. Wine aroma sensory evaluation differentiated canopy sides in three of four evaluations.

Viognier grapes grown in northern Virginia and resultant wines were evaluated as a function of training system. Treatments included vertical shoot-positioned (VSP), Smart-Dyson (SD), and Geneva double curtain (GDC), with vines of all treatments spaced 2.4 m apart in 3.0 m wide rows. In addition to increased cluster numbers and crop yield, GDC training generally increased fruit zone sunlight interception and fruit exposure, while it decreased cane pruning weights per meter of cordon, compared with SD and VSP. Crop adjustments were made between bloom and veraison in six seasons, to result in average yields of 10.5 kg/vine (GDC), 9.9 kg/vine (SD), and 6.0 kg/vine (VSP), with the lower SD canopy bearing 30 to 40% less crop than the corresponding upper SD canopy. Crop loads (yield/cane pruning weight) were generally between 4 and 12; GDC crop load approached 20 in three seasons, while SD approached 14 in one. Leaf area per crop ratio was determined one season and exceeded 1.8 m(2)/kg of fruit for all systems. Fruit was harvested at similar Brix values, with differences in berry weight, pH, titratable acidity, and malic and tartaric acids among treatments generally not significant. Volatile compounds were analyzed using headspace solid-phase microextraction GC-MS. Fruit showed consistent differences in linalool, alpha-terpineol, beta-damascenone, and n-hexanol concentrations among training systems. SD had the highest concentration of most free volatiles quantified in both juice and wines, while GDC wines frequently had the highest concentration of phenol-free glycosides. Triangle difference sensory testing demonstrated differences between GDC and SD in wine aroma and flavor and between VSP and SD in flavor. GDC wines generally had higher fruity and floral aromas compared with the other systems. Viticulture Consortium-East Virginia Wine Board

In Cabernet Sauvignon must, total and phenol-free glycosides (expressed as glycosyl-glucose) rose during fermentation while skin concentrations dropped. Wines were heated postfermentation, prior to dejuicing (rising 2 to 3degreesC per day from 23 to 42degreesC, and held for one day at 42degreesC), or after bottling (at 42degreesC for 21 days) to determine the effect on total glycosides, glycosidic fractions, and anthocyanin complexing. Pre-dejuicing thermal vinification resulted in higher total (12%) and phenol-free (18%) glycosides. Large polymeric pigments rose 208% and small polymeric pigments rose 41%. Skins had lower total glycosides (-16%), and no significant difference in phenol-free glycosides. Postbottling heat treatment resulted in lower total (-15%) and phenol-free (-16%) glycosides, and increased hue (25%). Large polymeric pigments increased 62% compared to control wines.

The accuracy of two methods for determination of glycosyl-glucose (GG) in grapes and wine has been tested using several glycoside standards containing alkyl, benzenoid, and phenolic aglycones. The total GG method using C-18 sorbent material was found to exhibit poor recoveries of benzenoid glycosides. The recoveries for the phenol-free GG method were satisfactory for alkyl and benzenoid glycosides. In addition, an adaption of the phenol-free GG method to 96-well microplate format has been demonstrated.

Grape glycosides are, in part, an important source of varietal wine aroma and flavor. Aglycones may be aliphatic residues, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, norisoprenoids, or phenolic compounds. Studies were undertaken to evaluate and compare methods of isolating non-phenolic or phenol-free glycosides. Phenol free glycoside fractions were obtained by three isolation methods: the addition of polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP), isolation at pH 10.0 using C18 solid phase extraction cartridges, or isolation at pH 13.0 using Oasis(TM) hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) extraction cartridges. Glycoside separation using the Oasis cartridges reduced the phenol content of the phenol-free glycoside fractions in Chardonnay juice and wines by an average of 49.7% compared to 33.6 % using C18. The differences in the phenol concentration in the phenol-free glycoside fractions with these two methods were greater with red juices and wines. For the Cabernet Sauvignon juice and wines the phenol concentration was reduced by an average 103% and 73% using the Oasis and C18 cartridges, respectively.