TY - JOUR T1 - Defining Niagara Terroir by Chemical and Sensory Analysis of Chardonnay Wines from Various Soil Textures and Vine Sizes JF - American Journal of Enology and Viticulture JO - Am. J. Enol. Vitic. DO - 10.5344/ajev.2013.12092 SP - ajev.2013.12092 AU - A.G. Reynolds AU - Geoff Taylor AU - Christiane de Savigny Y1 - 2013/02/26 UR - http://www.ajevonline.org/content/early/2013/02/20/ajev.2013.12092.abstract N2 - Five Chardonnay vineyards in the Niagara Peninsula were delineated according to soil texture using global positioning systems and geographic information systems (GPS/GIS). For three vintages, sentinel vines were classified based on weight of cane prunings (vine size) and the soil texture in which they were grown. Wines were made from vine size × soil texture combinations for the five sites and three vintages. Musts were analyzed for soluble solids, titratable acidity (TA), and pH, and wines for ethanol, TA, pH, and total phenols. Several within-site differences between vine size or soil texture were observed for must and wine composition but there were few consistent trends. Wines were analyzed sensorially by descriptive analysis. Soil texture effects were evident at three sites (1999), four sites (2000), and three sites (2001). Three sites (1999), and two sites (2000 (2001) demonstrated vine size effects. No consistent soil texture or vine size effects were observed within any site. Principal components analysis was used to discern trends in sensory data. No clear trends with respect to soil texture or vine size were obvious in 1999, but 2000 wines separated on the basis of site (Lakeshore vs. Lake Plain/Escarpment), and 2001 wines separated based on soil textures, whereby wines from Lakeshore sites (2000) or clay textures (2001) were associated with citrus, vegetal, earthy, and astringency descriptors. Vintage and site effects were evident when comparing the 2000 and 2001 vintages; 2000 wines were characterized by citrus, vegetal, and earthy descriptors, while 2001 wines were associated with floral and melon descriptors. These data suggest that although soil texture and vine size impact wine sensory attributes, site and vintage appear to play the major roles. ER -