SVILUPPO DI UNA METODOLOGIA DI TRACCIABILITÀ E DEFINIZIONE DELL’IMPRONTA PETROCHIMICA IN SUOLI E VINI DELLA SICILIA OCCIDENTALE NELLA PIANA DI MARSALA (TP).

Research studies carried out on a vineyard, selected on the basis of the bio-agronomic factors’ homogeneity (age, cultivation techniques, production capability…), in the Marsala Plain (TP) Sicily, have permitted to define geochemical fingerprints inherited by grapes and wines. 24 soil’s samples (gathered in correspondence of the root system) of 4 different cultivar types (6 from Nero D’Avola, 6 from Refosco dal peduncolo rosso, 6 from Fiano and 6 from Verdicchio) were collected. The soil samples were characterized by XRF chemical analysis and the wine samples were analysed by ICP-MS technique. The Marsala Plain is test site both for soils and for the presence of an aquifer characterized by good quality of water and lack of salinisation processes. These pilot site is located in an area currently interested by desertification phenomena and for this reason carefully monitored. This situation can be helpful in order to characterize the features of grapes and wines in several vintage years contributing on the comprehension of the effects of desertification on the production of wine. Analysis of different cultivar were focused on the definition of particular grapevine varieties less sensitive to climatic stress conditions, in order to plan suitable qualification actions to face the impact of climatic changes foreseen in the Mediterranean area. The aim of this study is to define the background standard values for inorganic macro and micronutrients, acquiring the essential data set useful for the evaluation of climatic changes and desertification effects on the wine quality.