Influence of different environments on grape phenolic and aromatic composition of three clones of Nebbiolo

The interaction between cultivar and growing environment is the base of wine quality and typicality. In recent time the behaviour of different clones within the same cultivar became another fundamental factor influencing the enological result. In order to clarify cultivar/clone/environment relations, a trial was carried out in 2008 studying the performances of three clones of 'Nebbiolo', grown in different environments: south-east Piedmont (hilly and characterized by a loamy and alkaline soil) and north-east Piedmont (a plain area characterized by a sandy and acidic soil). The results, although preliminary, indicated the different environments of cultivation have influenced quantitative and qualitative response of the same clone. Of particular interest the differences in phenolic composition which resulted quantitatively higher in the location of northern Piedmont compared to the southern sites, although qualitatively weaker as the anthocyanic profile was poorer in malvidin-3-glucoside and richer in peonidin-3-glucoside. These aspects may have relevant implication for the colour of future wine. The varietal aromatic profile, on the contrary, resulted stable between the environments, yet to fully understand the role of different factors affecting the aromatic quantitative differences further investigations are needed.