Possible use of texture characteristics of winegrapes as markers for zoning and their relationship with anthocyanin extractability index

Ribeira Sacra Denomination of Origin is a steep slope viticulture area located in Galicia (northwest of Spain), and it is divided into five different subzones. Taking into account that grape composition depends not only on the grape cultivar used but also on the environmental factors and cultural practices, texture analysis has been proposed to assess the grape mechanical properties of those subzones. With the aid of principal component analysis, berry skin break energy measured on bottom side and berry cohesiveness have been suggested as the best mechanical properties for the subzones differentiation. Moreover, significant correlations among mechanical parameters and anthocyanin extractability index were found. A regression hyperplane allowed estimating anthocyanin extractability from berry skin thickness and Young′s modulus measured on the lateral side of grapes. The speed of mechanical analysis facilitates the planning and management of pressing and maceration processes as a consequence of the drastic reduction in sample treatment time.