Tedeschi, if every geographic identity and every vineyard corresponds to an aromatic signature

Understanding if, in wines produced with Corvina and Corvinone grapes harvested in single vineyards, there was a characteristic aromatic imprint that could act as a real and proper identifying element of a place and a terroir with a well defined geographical identity: this is the goal of the studies on the aromatic characters of grapes and wines from single vineyards, and on the main factors involved in their expression, carried on since 2017, in its own vineyards, by Tedeschi, griffe of Amarone, together with the professor of Food Science and Technology Maurizio Ugliano, and in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology of the University of Verona. By studying the aromatic diversity of wines obtained from single crus, by searching for key aromatic markers and by understanding the link between grape composition and markers themselves, it was possible to define an aromatic mark specific for each place. In this way it was possible to design vineyard and wine making management strategies, with actions useful to exalt all the identities and typicalities of each grape.
“The results of this work - underlines Riccardo Tedeschi, winery’s enologist - allow us now and in the future to be always attentive towards our ecosystem, with a deep respect for the territory and for our products”. During the study period it was noticed how much the effect of the vintage is expressed by certain characteristics found in the wines to be produced. “We worked in order to identify the aromatic imprint of the single vineyard parcels - continues Riccardo Tedeschi -, an imprint that could quantitatively vary according to the vintage but it will always identify that area, making our wine unique and unrepeatable”. “From the data we obtained it clearly emerges the possibility of developing some indices of grape quality and longevity of wines, in particular based on the terpene profile, to be used from now on for the mapping of vineyards, for the evaluation of the quality of vintages and for the optimization of practices in the field and in the cellar”, explains professor Ugliano.
Through this study - unique in its genre both at national and international level - it was possible to identify the aromatic signature of the different wines and of the vineyard they correspond to. Among the main aromatic compounds detected, terpenes stand out, very present in the vegetal world, with floral and balsamic scents, which prove to be important markers of Valpolicella wines obtained from fresh grapes, as well as the style of Tedeschi's Amarone. Even some norisoprenoids, which intensify the perception of red fruit, and benzenoids, with aromas of sweet spices, contribute to the different aromatic signatures observed in particular in case of Amarone style. These compounds are present in grapes in the form of precursors which are “revealed” during vinification and the environment of the vineyard has a strong influence on their content. Their contribution to the different signatures was therefore expected, although this is the first time the important role of terpenes for the aroma of Valpolicella wines has been evidenced.
More surprising was instead the observation that even fermentation esters, fundamental for the fruity character of wines, were found to be distinctive of the different geographical origins of grapes. As these compounds are not present in grapes themselves but are produced by yeast during fermentation, this result highlights how the aromatic expression of terroir is not only connected to the composition of grapes themselves, but also to the way this composition influences the course of fermentation. These elements of typicality exist inside the analyzed territory and show how these markers generally identify a style, becoming real and proper aromatic imprints for each of the five vineyards studied.