Rootstock Influence on Wine Aroma Compounds and Sensory Perception: A Review

Area of Science:

• Viticulture and Enology
• Plant Science
• Food Chemistry

Background:

• Rootstocks are vital in viticulture, influencing grape agronomic traits and wine composition.
• Recent research explores rootstock impacts on wine aroma compounds and sensory profiles.
• Existing studies show variability due to experimental and methodological differences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and synthesize findings on rootstock effects on wine aroma and sensory attributes.
• To identify trends and knowledge gaps in rootstock influence on wine quality.
• To highlight the need for standardized research methodologies.

Main Methods:

• Compilation of studies on 33 rootstocks for aroma and 29 for sensory evaluation.
• Analysis across 10 red and 4 white grape varieties.
• Assessment of existing literature on rootstock-wine interactions.

Main Results:

• Significant variability in findings across studies, attributed to differing experimental designs and winemaking protocols.
• Limited studies simultaneously assessed aroma compounds and sensory attributes.
• Some consistent trends observed for specific aroma compounds like β-damascenone and linalool, but most results are context-dependent.

Conclusions:

• Rootstock influence on wine aroma and sensory quality is complex and highly variable.
• Lack of standardization in research, particularly winemaking conditions, hinders consistent findings.
• Urgent need for multi-site, multi-year studies to establish reliable rootstock impact data.