Soil effect on phenolic and volatile composition of Nero d'Avola red wines as revealed by a chromatography-based targeted metabolomic approach

In this study, the effects of the main soil chemical-physical parameters (i.e., texture, pH, total carbonates, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, electric conductivity, and mineral composition) on some of the most important oenological parameters (e.g., phenolics and volatile organic compounds) of red wines obtained from grapes of Vitis vinifera L. cv Nero d'Avola were studied. The study was conducted by means of a chromatography-based targeted metabolomic approach. The obtained results highlighted that the soil influenced both the phenolic and the volatile composition of the resulting wines. Wines phenolic composition appeared to be influenced by the texture and the cation exchange capacity, that are linked to the modulation of water and nutrient dynamics in soils. The volatile organic composition of the wines was mostly influenced by the cation exchange capacity and the organic matter, both related to soil fertility.