In fact, such terroirs position the country in the minds of international consumers as a producer of high-quality wines.Įxtensive research has detailed the strong effect that climatic conditions of each vintage and regional variations in soil types have on the berry and wines composition 1, 6, 7, 8, 9. In France, where the concept of terroir was born, the reputation of certain regions such as Bordeaux or Burgundy as producers of exclusive wines transcends local boundaries. This definition of an exclusive place giving a unique wine is exploited by different winemaking regions worldwide to differentiate their terroirs, revealing distinguishing characteristics that add economic value. As well, the place of each vineyard represents a single terroir, which is displayed in the obtained wines that are more or less consistent amongst years 6. Recent research has shown that metabolites in wine are affected by the terroir 6. Historically, the term commonly refers to a rather small area whose soil and microclimate impart distinctive qualities to the fruit and wines. As such, the study of terroir has developed over the last 20 years following five main areas of study: (1) terroir components that influences vine growth through examination of the climate–soil–water relationships (2) terroir components that influences fruit composition and wine quality (3) regional fingerprinting of wines (chemical signatures) (4) viticulture zoning (finding the best terroirs) and (5) precision viticulture (spatial technologies to manage and improve the crop). Nevertheless, an increasing number of scientists are committed to identify help identify the important aspects of terroir that define the boundaries between nature and nurture 5. However, terroir remains one of the most intriguing challenges in today wine world, largely because what terroir encompasses is not universally understood or accepted 4. Therefore, local climate and soil features, along with grape varieties, is at the core of terroir 4. In viticulture the concept of “terroir” refers to this interplay of factors, which include the vine and its physical environment, together with the human managing in the vineyards and wineries 3. Grapevine variety, site, year (vintage), and quality ratings-are features used for the characterization and description of wines which are a reflection of the structure and quantity of small molecules 2. Wine is composed by a complex scenery of chemistry-related species that come out from an interplay amongst environmental, genetic and human factors 1. These results are strongly related to terroir features of wines, contributing to a better communication to consumers and to position Argentinean wines. This is the first report characterizing Malbec wines coming from several GIs (and individual parcels) in different vintages. The presented research allows to individualize, through phenolic profiles, parcels with unique characteristics over years. The most notorious compounds associated with such classification were p-coumaric acid, delphinidin-3- O-glucoside, caffeic acid, quercetin and peonidin-3- O-glucoside. A random forest analysis correctly identified 11 out of 23 individual parcels across the different vintages.

As well, regional climate conditions allowed partial discrimination of the GIs (and also some parcels). Vintage effect and specific phenolic compounds were associated with some GIs or parcels.

Data discriminated wines from different GIs and parcels, based on an integrative data analysis by chemometric tools. Wines were elaborated under standardized winemaking conditions over three consecutive vintages (2016–2018). This study evaluated the phenolic profiles of Malbec wines made from grapes of 23 parcels distributed in 12 geographical indications (GIs) from Mendoza, Argentina.

Vintage autoharp value