2025/10/17 by G. A. Verheijen, Frank, Bastos, Ana Catarina, Santos, Magda +6
#Biochar-compost #agricultural management #grape quality #secondary metabolites #sesquiterpenic compounds #wine aroma
paper · doi:10.5073/vitis.2025.64.13
Understanding the potential impacts of biochar on wine flavour is crucial if such a soil management tool is to be adopted by the viticulture sector, ensuring acceptance by vine growers, winemakers, and consumers alike. Two previous field studies in the temperate and Mediterranean regions showed that standard grape quality parameters were unchanged upon soil amendment with biochar, under favourable climatic conditions. We aimed to investigate the way biochar impacts on standard grape quality indicators and secondary metabolites that are key for wine sensory attributes under unfavourable climatic conditions, hypothesizing an increased potential for biochar to affect such quality parameters in drier climates. To that aim, we deployed a woody biochar (alone and combined with vegetable compost) at application rates relevant to agricultural management (4 and 40 t.ha-1) in a non-irrigated commercial denomination of controlled origin vineyard in Central Portugal, with established grapevines of ‘Sauvignon Blanc’. Biochar did not significantly alter grape composition, such as aroma compounds associated with wine aroma (mono and sesquiterpenic compounds, C6 aliphatic and aromatic alcohols). These findings support the feasibility of applying a woody biochar to commercial vineyards (up to 40 t.ha-1) in drier Mediterranean-like regions, with no adverse effects on grape or wine sensory attributes in the second year, although further clarification of longer-term effects is needed.