Stefanos Koundouras - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Stefanos Koundouras

Horticulturae

Chromium toxicity is considered within the most severe and dangerous nutritional disorders, and i... more Chromium toxicity is considered within the most severe and dangerous nutritional disorders, and it can often be observed in crops grown in industrial areas. The present study aims to determine the effects of Cr(VI) toxicity on the growth, nutrition, and physiological performance of grapevines. In a pot hydroponic experiment, own-rooted Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapevine cultivars or cultivars grafted onto 1103P and 101-14 Mgt rootstocks were exposed to 120 μM Cr(VI). Leaf interveinal chlorosis appeared after forty-five days of treatment. Overall leaf chlorosis and brown root coloration after sixty days was reported. A significant effect on the majority of the measured parameters due to the Cr(VI) treatment was observed. Chromium stress increased the total Cr concentrations in all parts of the vines, i.e., leaves, shoots, roots, and trunks. When comparing between the studied plant sections, the roots presented the highest Cr concentrations, ranging from 396 to 868 mg kg−1 d. w., and...

Agronomy, 2022

The world’s changing climate is placing great pressure on the resources for sustainable viticultu... more The world’s changing climate is placing great pressure on the resources for sustainable viticulture. With this, it has become necessary to investigate grape varieties that are well adapted to hot climates. This study investigated whether two Cypriot varieties (Xynisteri and Maratheftiko) responded differently to Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc grown under different irrigation regimes (full, 50% and 25%). Irrigation trials were established in Cyprus in 2019 and in Australia in 2020/2021. Vine growth and physiology and fruit composition (field trial only) measurements were recorded. The trial in Cyprus in 2019 demonstrated that for all three irrigation regimes, Xynisteri had higher stem water potential, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll and greater biomass than Sauvignon Blanc under all irrigation regimes. In 2020/2021, Xynisteri had a greater biomass than Maratheftiko and Sauvignon Blanc, with Shiraz having the lowest. Under reduced irrigation, Xynisteri and Maratheftiko had higher stem w...

Water, 2022

Grapevine phenology is particularly sensitive to temperature variations, with changes in climate ... more Grapevine phenology is particularly sensitive to temperature variations, with changes in climate shifting events earlier and advancing berry maturation into a hotter part of the growing cycle. Consequently, serious concerns regarding the negative influences of climate change on global wine quality have been raised, with the scientific community focusing on documenting these changes to better understand and address the impacts. This study adds to this knowledge by investigating air temperature and precipitation trends over the last 40 years (i.e., 1980–2019). Over the most recent period of records (i.e., 2000–2019), minimum air temperatures significantly increased at a higher rate than maximum temperatures. On the other hand, precipitation showed the least significant trends over time. In addition, wine quality assessment and identification of the most significant weather variables and climatic indices that correlate with wine quality rating scores have also been performed. To serve ...

The world’s changing climate is placing great pressure on the resources for sustainable viticultu... more The world’s changing climate is placing great pressure on the resources for sustainable viticulture. With this, it has become necessary to investigate grape varieties that are well adapted to hot climates. The aims of this study were to (1) assess the response of Xynisteri to different irrigation regimes, and (2) compare the performance of Xynisteri, Maratheftiko, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc grown in pots with different irrigation regimes. Trial one was established in a commercial Xynisteri vineyard in Cyprus under three different irrigation regimes - full, 50% and no irrigation in 2019. Trial two compared three irrigation regimes - full, 50% and 25% in a potted trial of Xynisteri and Sauvignon Blanc conducted in Cyprus in 2019. Trial three was a potted trial of Xynisteri, Sauvignon Blanc, Maratheftiko and Shiraz with the same three irrigation regimes conducted in Australia in 2020/21. Vine performance and physiology measurements were taken in both trials. Fruit composition analysis,...

Phenolic compounds of the skin and seeds are the principal sources of wine color and structural p... more Phenolic compounds of the skin and seeds are the principal sources of wine color and structural properties. Under semi-arid conditions, irrigation management is the most determining factor of grape and wine quality while rootstocks affect numerous physiological and vegetative parameters of the scion. In the present study, compositional changes of skin and seed phenolic compounds were studied in a factorial experiment, in field-grown grapevines of cv. Cabernet-Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L.) grafted onto 1103P and SO4 rootstocks and subjected to three irrigation levels (FI 100% of evapotranspiration, DI 50% of evapotranspiration and NI-not irrigated). The experiment was conducted in a ten-year-old commercial vineyard of central Greece over two years (2005-2006). Limited water supply decreased berry size but did not affect the skin-to-pulp weight ratio. Water limitation did not affect skin anthocyanin concentration at harvest. Irrigation regime (mainly post-veraison) and rootstock genot...

Among seasonal practices that affect grape quality, selective leaf removal at the cluster zone is... more Among seasonal practices that affect grape quality, selective leaf removal at the cluster zone is accepted as a powerful technique to manipulate flavonoid content of grapes and wines. However, most of research on fruit-zone defoliation has been conducted under temperate climate and it remains uncertain if cluster exposure would be a recommendable practice in semiarid viticultural areas. In this study, we investigated, over two consecutive seasons, the effect of the severity of post-flowering leaf removal on the growth and phenolic composition of berry skin and seeds in three Vitis vinifera L. genotypes (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese) under the semiarid conditions of Northern Greece. Three different severities of leaf removal in the fruit-zone were applied manually at berry set: non defoliated (ND), removal of the lateral shoots of the first six basal nodes (LR) and full removal of the total leaf area (main leaves and lateral shoots) of the first six basal nodes (FR). Gra...

Sustainability, 2021

Under the current and future climate crisis, a significant rise in soil salinity will likely affe... more Under the current and future climate crisis, a significant rise in soil salinity will likely affect vine productivity in several Mediterranean regions. During the present research, the rootstock effects on salinity tolerance of Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapevine cultivars were studied. In a pot hydroponic culture, own-rooted Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapevine cultivars or grafted onto the rootstocks 1103 P and 101-14 Mgt were drip-irrigated with saline water. A completely randomized 3 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment was designed with two vine rootstocks or own-rooted vines, two scion cultivars, and 100 mM NaCl salinity or control treatments, with six replications. A significant effect of scion cultivar, rootstock, and salinity was observed for most of the measured parameters. At the end of salinity stress period, leaf, shoot, root, and trunk nutrient concentrations were measured. Salinity stress increased Chloride (Cl−) and Sodium (Na+) concentrations in all parts of the vines and de...

Vitis: Journal of Grapevine Research, 2015

A combined approach involving phenotypical characterization (ampelographic description and oenolo... more A combined approach involving phenotypical characterization (ampelographic description and oenological traits) and molecular analysis was applied on 91 accessions of native Greek grape varieties plus 3 references, all conserved in the Ampelographic Collection of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The accessions were described in accordance to 48 OIV descriptors. Their berry oenological traits were determined at maturity to detect a high juice sugar concentration in most of the assessed varieties, whereas the titratable acidity was found to be extremely low, particularly in the white accessions. Moreover, skin anthocyanin and phenolic content fluctuated from 0.09 to 39.4 mg∙g-1 f.w. and from 2.05 to 30.65 mg∙g-1 f.w. respectively, whereas seed phenolic content was in the range of 2.83 and 32.72 mg∙g-1 f.w. Finally, the discriminative SSR analysis confirmed the differences and similarities among the analyzed varieties as can be evinced from the phylogenetic analysis where close...

Grape phenolic compounds are located in the internal layers of grape skins and seeds. They are sy... more Grape phenolic compounds are located in the internal layers of grape skins and seeds. They are synthesized via the phenyl-propanoid biosynthetic pathway which is modulated by both biotic and abiotic factors. Considerable research has been conducted to clarify the evolution pattern of grape phenolic compounds and the role of environmental and viticultural factors that can manipulate their levels at harvest. The accumulation of phenolic compounds in grapes may be influenced by grape variety, environmental conditions and viticultural practices. More notably, the influence of irrigation on the accumulation of anthocyanins in grapes has been treated by several authors reporting an overall positive impact of mild water deficit, attributed to changes in berry skin-to-pulp ratio, modifications in grape microclimate or differences in the partitioning of assimilates among vine organs. Moreover, light environment of the grapes, as affected directly by leaf removal, is reported to modify skin a...

International Journal of Agriculture Innovations and Research, 2014

Cherry cracking due to rain is the major problem for cherry cultivation. Several methods have bee... more Cherry cracking due to rain is the major problem for cherry cultivation. Several methods have been proposed for alleviating this problem, including the use of rain protective coverings. The aim of this research was to study the effect of rain protective covering on fruit cracking, fruit quality and photosynthetic parameters of four sweet cherry cultivars. The experiments were conducted during three successive years. Half of a commercial cherry orchard was covered by high density polyethylene plastics, whereas the other half remained uncovered (control). The results showed that the covering had no affect on the productivity and mean fruit weight in all cultivars, except for ‘Early Lory’ which had higher values in 2009. The cracking percentage of all cultivars was significantly lower in covered trees than the controls, resulting in a positive tendency on marketable yield. In 2010, total antioxidant activity was higher in the covered fruits of ‘Ferrovia’, ‘Early Star’ and ‘Van’ compare...

OENO One

Our objective was to investigate the effect of water and nitrogen (N) availability on the carbon ... more Our objective was to investigate the effect of water and nitrogen (N) availability on the carbon isotope composition of leaf blades, canes and ripe berry must (juice) in field grown grapevines.In two consecutive years, the combination of two irrigation treatments [Irrigation (I): 70 % of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and no irrigation (NI)] and three rates of ammonium nitrate [0 (N0), 60 (N60) and 120 (N120) kg/ha N] were applied to two separate vineyards planted with cv. Xinomavro and cv. Cabernet-Sauvignon respectively in a randomised complete block design. Carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of leaf blades, stem water potential (Ψs), and leaf gas exchange were measured at berry set, bunch closure, veraison and maturity during each growing season. δ13C of bulk berry must at maturity and of dormant canes was also measured.Leaf δ13C and cane δ13C decreased with water supply, but increased with N fertilisation. Must δ13C was lower in the irrigated N0 and N60 vines, whereas irrigation t...

Our objective was to investigate the effect of water and nitrogen (N) availability on the carbon ... more Our objective was to investigate the effect of water and nitrogen (N) availability on the carbon isotope composition of leaf blades, canes and ripe berry must (juice) in field grown grapevines.In two consecutive years, the combination of two irrigation treatments [Irrigation (I): 70 % of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and no irrigation (NI)] and three rates of ammonium nitrate [0 (N0), 60 (N60) and 120 (N120) kg/ha N] were applied to two separate vineyards planted with cv. Xinomavro and cv. Cabernet-Sauvignon respectively in a randomised complete block design. Carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of leaf blades, stem water potential (Ψs), and leaf gas exchange were measured at berry set, bunch closure, veraison and maturity during each growing season. δ13C of bulk berry must at maturity and of dormant canes was also measured.Leaf δ13C and cane δ13C decreased with water supply, but increased with N fertilisation. Must δ13C was lower in the irrigated N0 and N60 vines, whereas irrigation t...

Climate is clearly one of the most important factors in the success of all agricultural systems, ... more Climate is clearly one of the most important factors in the success of all agricultural systems, influencing whether a crop is suitable to a given region, largely controlling crop production and quality, and ultimately driving economic sustainability. Today many assessments of a region’s climate comes from a combination of station and spatial climate data analyses that facilitate the evaluation of the general suitability for viticulture and potential wine styles, allows for comparisons between wine regions, and offers growers a measure of assessing appropriate cultivars and sites. This research combines a spatial climate analysis in Greece with a temporal station and harvest date analysis in important Greek wine regions. The results show predominately warm to hot climate suitability in Greece, comparable to many other regions worldwide. While many viticulture regions have one primary class of suitability, variability of climate within regions can be significant, with some regions co...

Tannins are located in skins and seeds and are responsible for important sensory and quality attr... more Tannins are located in skins and seeds and are responsible for important sensory and quality attributes of red grapes and wines, such as astringency, bitterness and colour stability. However, little is known regarding Greek Vitis vinifera varieties. The aim of this study is to evaluate the grape phenolic content and to present data that may contribute to the development of suitable winemaking techniques for these varieties. In this study berry attributes, skin and seed content of tannins and antioxidant capacity from five Greek Vitis vinifera varieties, namely 'Mavrotragano', 'Mandilaria', 'Kotsifali', 'Agiorgitiko' and 'Xinomavro' were analyzed. Significant differences were observed in berry weight and the distribution of berry component mass in mature berries, among the different varieties. 'Mandilaria' and 'Kotsifali' had the heavier berries while the higher contribution of skins and seeds in berry was observed in 'Agior...

Horticulturae

Chromium toxicity is considered within the most severe and dangerous nutritional disorders, and i... more Chromium toxicity is considered within the most severe and dangerous nutritional disorders, and it can often be observed in crops grown in industrial areas. The present study aims to determine the effects of Cr(VI) toxicity on the growth, nutrition, and physiological performance of grapevines. In a pot hydroponic experiment, own-rooted Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapevine cultivars or cultivars grafted onto 1103P and 101-14 Mgt rootstocks were exposed to 120 μM Cr(VI). Leaf interveinal chlorosis appeared after forty-five days of treatment. Overall leaf chlorosis and brown root coloration after sixty days was reported. A significant effect on the majority of the measured parameters due to the Cr(VI) treatment was observed. Chromium stress increased the total Cr concentrations in all parts of the vines, i.e., leaves, shoots, roots, and trunks. When comparing between the studied plant sections, the roots presented the highest Cr concentrations, ranging from 396 to 868 mg kg−1 d. w., and...

Agronomy, 2022

The world’s changing climate is placing great pressure on the resources for sustainable viticultu... more The world’s changing climate is placing great pressure on the resources for sustainable viticulture. With this, it has become necessary to investigate grape varieties that are well adapted to hot climates. This study investigated whether two Cypriot varieties (Xynisteri and Maratheftiko) responded differently to Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc grown under different irrigation regimes (full, 50% and 25%). Irrigation trials were established in Cyprus in 2019 and in Australia in 2020/2021. Vine growth and physiology and fruit composition (field trial only) measurements were recorded. The trial in Cyprus in 2019 demonstrated that for all three irrigation regimes, Xynisteri had higher stem water potential, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll and greater biomass than Sauvignon Blanc under all irrigation regimes. In 2020/2021, Xynisteri had a greater biomass than Maratheftiko and Sauvignon Blanc, with Shiraz having the lowest. Under reduced irrigation, Xynisteri and Maratheftiko had higher stem w...

Water, 2022

Grapevine phenology is particularly sensitive to temperature variations, with changes in climate ... more Grapevine phenology is particularly sensitive to temperature variations, with changes in climate shifting events earlier and advancing berry maturation into a hotter part of the growing cycle. Consequently, serious concerns regarding the negative influences of climate change on global wine quality have been raised, with the scientific community focusing on documenting these changes to better understand and address the impacts. This study adds to this knowledge by investigating air temperature and precipitation trends over the last 40 years (i.e., 1980–2019). Over the most recent period of records (i.e., 2000–2019), minimum air temperatures significantly increased at a higher rate than maximum temperatures. On the other hand, precipitation showed the least significant trends over time. In addition, wine quality assessment and identification of the most significant weather variables and climatic indices that correlate with wine quality rating scores have also been performed. To serve ...

The world’s changing climate is placing great pressure on the resources for sustainable viticultu... more The world’s changing climate is placing great pressure on the resources for sustainable viticulture. With this, it has become necessary to investigate grape varieties that are well adapted to hot climates. The aims of this study were to (1) assess the response of Xynisteri to different irrigation regimes, and (2) compare the performance of Xynisteri, Maratheftiko, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc grown in pots with different irrigation regimes. Trial one was established in a commercial Xynisteri vineyard in Cyprus under three different irrigation regimes - full, 50% and no irrigation in 2019. Trial two compared three irrigation regimes - full, 50% and 25% in a potted trial of Xynisteri and Sauvignon Blanc conducted in Cyprus in 2019. Trial three was a potted trial of Xynisteri, Sauvignon Blanc, Maratheftiko and Shiraz with the same three irrigation regimes conducted in Australia in 2020/21. Vine performance and physiology measurements were taken in both trials. Fruit composition analysis,...

Phenolic compounds of the skin and seeds are the principal sources of wine color and structural p... more Phenolic compounds of the skin and seeds are the principal sources of wine color and structural properties. Under semi-arid conditions, irrigation management is the most determining factor of grape and wine quality while rootstocks affect numerous physiological and vegetative parameters of the scion. In the present study, compositional changes of skin and seed phenolic compounds were studied in a factorial experiment, in field-grown grapevines of cv. Cabernet-Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L.) grafted onto 1103P and SO4 rootstocks and subjected to three irrigation levels (FI 100% of evapotranspiration, DI 50% of evapotranspiration and NI-not irrigated). The experiment was conducted in a ten-year-old commercial vineyard of central Greece over two years (2005-2006). Limited water supply decreased berry size but did not affect the skin-to-pulp weight ratio. Water limitation did not affect skin anthocyanin concentration at harvest. Irrigation regime (mainly post-veraison) and rootstock genot...

Among seasonal practices that affect grape quality, selective leaf removal at the cluster zone is... more Among seasonal practices that affect grape quality, selective leaf removal at the cluster zone is accepted as a powerful technique to manipulate flavonoid content of grapes and wines. However, most of research on fruit-zone defoliation has been conducted under temperate climate and it remains uncertain if cluster exposure would be a recommendable practice in semiarid viticultural areas. In this study, we investigated, over two consecutive seasons, the effect of the severity of post-flowering leaf removal on the growth and phenolic composition of berry skin and seeds in three Vitis vinifera L. genotypes (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese) under the semiarid conditions of Northern Greece. Three different severities of leaf removal in the fruit-zone were applied manually at berry set: non defoliated (ND), removal of the lateral shoots of the first six basal nodes (LR) and full removal of the total leaf area (main leaves and lateral shoots) of the first six basal nodes (FR). Gra...

Sustainability, 2021

Under the current and future climate crisis, a significant rise in soil salinity will likely affe... more Under the current and future climate crisis, a significant rise in soil salinity will likely affect vine productivity in several Mediterranean regions. During the present research, the rootstock effects on salinity tolerance of Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapevine cultivars were studied. In a pot hydroponic culture, own-rooted Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapevine cultivars or grafted onto the rootstocks 1103 P and 101-14 Mgt were drip-irrigated with saline water. A completely randomized 3 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment was designed with two vine rootstocks or own-rooted vines, two scion cultivars, and 100 mM NaCl salinity or control treatments, with six replications. A significant effect of scion cultivar, rootstock, and salinity was observed for most of the measured parameters. At the end of salinity stress period, leaf, shoot, root, and trunk nutrient concentrations were measured. Salinity stress increased Chloride (Cl−) and Sodium (Na+) concentrations in all parts of the vines and de...

Vitis: Journal of Grapevine Research, 2015

A combined approach involving phenotypical characterization (ampelographic description and oenolo... more A combined approach involving phenotypical characterization (ampelographic description and oenological traits) and molecular analysis was applied on 91 accessions of native Greek grape varieties plus 3 references, all conserved in the Ampelographic Collection of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The accessions were described in accordance to 48 OIV descriptors. Their berry oenological traits were determined at maturity to detect a high juice sugar concentration in most of the assessed varieties, whereas the titratable acidity was found to be extremely low, particularly in the white accessions. Moreover, skin anthocyanin and phenolic content fluctuated from 0.09 to 39.4 mg∙g-1 f.w. and from 2.05 to 30.65 mg∙g-1 f.w. respectively, whereas seed phenolic content was in the range of 2.83 and 32.72 mg∙g-1 f.w. Finally, the discriminative SSR analysis confirmed the differences and similarities among the analyzed varieties as can be evinced from the phylogenetic analysis where close...

Grape phenolic compounds are located in the internal layers of grape skins and seeds. They are sy... more Grape phenolic compounds are located in the internal layers of grape skins and seeds. They are synthesized via the phenyl-propanoid biosynthetic pathway which is modulated by both biotic and abiotic factors. Considerable research has been conducted to clarify the evolution pattern of grape phenolic compounds and the role of environmental and viticultural factors that can manipulate their levels at harvest. The accumulation of phenolic compounds in grapes may be influenced by grape variety, environmental conditions and viticultural practices. More notably, the influence of irrigation on the accumulation of anthocyanins in grapes has been treated by several authors reporting an overall positive impact of mild water deficit, attributed to changes in berry skin-to-pulp ratio, modifications in grape microclimate or differences in the partitioning of assimilates among vine organs. Moreover, light environment of the grapes, as affected directly by leaf removal, is reported to modify skin a...

International Journal of Agriculture Innovations and Research, 2014

Cherry cracking due to rain is the major problem for cherry cultivation. Several methods have bee... more Cherry cracking due to rain is the major problem for cherry cultivation. Several methods have been proposed for alleviating this problem, including the use of rain protective coverings. The aim of this research was to study the effect of rain protective covering on fruit cracking, fruit quality and photosynthetic parameters of four sweet cherry cultivars. The experiments were conducted during three successive years. Half of a commercial cherry orchard was covered by high density polyethylene plastics, whereas the other half remained uncovered (control). The results showed that the covering had no affect on the productivity and mean fruit weight in all cultivars, except for ‘Early Lory’ which had higher values in 2009. The cracking percentage of all cultivars was significantly lower in covered trees than the controls, resulting in a positive tendency on marketable yield. In 2010, total antioxidant activity was higher in the covered fruits of ‘Ferrovia’, ‘Early Star’ and ‘Van’ compare...

OENO One

Our objective was to investigate the effect of water and nitrogen (N) availability on the carbon ... more Our objective was to investigate the effect of water and nitrogen (N) availability on the carbon isotope composition of leaf blades, canes and ripe berry must (juice) in field grown grapevines.In two consecutive years, the combination of two irrigation treatments [Irrigation (I): 70 % of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and no irrigation (NI)] and three rates of ammonium nitrate [0 (N0), 60 (N60) and 120 (N120) kg/ha N] were applied to two separate vineyards planted with cv. Xinomavro and cv. Cabernet-Sauvignon respectively in a randomised complete block design. Carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of leaf blades, stem water potential (Ψs), and leaf gas exchange were measured at berry set, bunch closure, veraison and maturity during each growing season. δ13C of bulk berry must at maturity and of dormant canes was also measured.Leaf δ13C and cane δ13C decreased with water supply, but increased with N fertilisation. Must δ13C was lower in the irrigated N0 and N60 vines, whereas irrigation t...

Our objective was to investigate the effect of water and nitrogen (N) availability on the carbon ... more Our objective was to investigate the effect of water and nitrogen (N) availability on the carbon isotope composition of leaf blades, canes and ripe berry must (juice) in field grown grapevines.In two consecutive years, the combination of two irrigation treatments [Irrigation (I): 70 % of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and no irrigation (NI)] and three rates of ammonium nitrate [0 (N0), 60 (N60) and 120 (N120) kg/ha N] were applied to two separate vineyards planted with cv. Xinomavro and cv. Cabernet-Sauvignon respectively in a randomised complete block design. Carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of leaf blades, stem water potential (Ψs), and leaf gas exchange were measured at berry set, bunch closure, veraison and maturity during each growing season. δ13C of bulk berry must at maturity and of dormant canes was also measured.Leaf δ13C and cane δ13C decreased with water supply, but increased with N fertilisation. Must δ13C was lower in the irrigated N0 and N60 vines, whereas irrigation t...

Climate is clearly one of the most important factors in the success of all agricultural systems, ... more Climate is clearly one of the most important factors in the success of all agricultural systems, influencing whether a crop is suitable to a given region, largely controlling crop production and quality, and ultimately driving economic sustainability. Today many assessments of a region’s climate comes from a combination of station and spatial climate data analyses that facilitate the evaluation of the general suitability for viticulture and potential wine styles, allows for comparisons between wine regions, and offers growers a measure of assessing appropriate cultivars and sites. This research combines a spatial climate analysis in Greece with a temporal station and harvest date analysis in important Greek wine regions. The results show predominately warm to hot climate suitability in Greece, comparable to many other regions worldwide. While many viticulture regions have one primary class of suitability, variability of climate within regions can be significant, with some regions co...

Tannins are located in skins and seeds and are responsible for important sensory and quality attr... more Tannins are located in skins and seeds and are responsible for important sensory and quality attributes of red grapes and wines, such as astringency, bitterness and colour stability. However, little is known regarding Greek Vitis vinifera varieties. The aim of this study is to evaluate the grape phenolic content and to present data that may contribute to the development of suitable winemaking techniques for these varieties. In this study berry attributes, skin and seed content of tannins and antioxidant capacity from five Greek Vitis vinifera varieties, namely 'Mavrotragano', 'Mandilaria', 'Kotsifali', 'Agiorgitiko' and 'Xinomavro' were analyzed. Significant differences were observed in berry weight and the distribution of berry component mass in mature berries, among the different varieties. 'Mandilaria' and 'Kotsifali' had the heavier berries while the higher contribution of skins and seeds in berry was observed in 'Agior...