Grape ripening heterogeneity in white and red cultivars (Vitis vinifera L.) grown on different calcareous soils using technological and phenolic markers

BACKGROUND An understanding of grape ripening heterogeneity is essential to optimize vineyard management and to ensure wine quality. This study investigated the effect of calcareous soils with different textures (limestone and marlstone) on the chemical composition of white ('Grillo' (GR) and 'Chardonnay' (CH)) and red ('Nero d'Avola' (ND) and 'Syrah' (SY)) grape cultivars, including both autochthonous and allochthonous types. Grape quality was evaluated in relation to soil type using key compositional parameters and the degree of ripening homogeneity at harvest, quantified with two novel indices: the technological variability index (TVI) and the phenolic variability index (PVI).RESULTS Soil type was the dominant factor influencing grape physicochemical and phenolic composition. Grapes grown on marlstone soils showed more homogeneous ripening, indicated by lower TVI and PVI values, in comparison with those grown on limestone. Autochthonous varieties exhibited greater adaptability and ripening uniformity across soil types than international cultivars. Multivariate analysis further revealed distinct soil-cultivar interactions for red and white grapes, underscoring genotype-dependent responses to soil properties.CONCLUSION Grape ripening behavior is influenced strongly by both cultivar and soil texture. Autochthonous cultivars, particularly GR and ND, exhibited greater ripening uniformity at harvest, suggesting a stronger adaptation to their native terroirs. Marlstone soils consistently promoted more homogeneous ripening, likely due to their superior water retention capacity. These findings highlight the importance of understanding soil effects in optimizing grape quality and support the development of more effective cultivar-soil matching strategies, especially in the face of increasing climate variability. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.