Academic literature on the topic 'Maratheftiko'

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 water potential, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll content than Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc. These results indicate that Xynisteri in particular may possess better cultivar-specific growth traits than Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc when grown under the same environmental conditions and in turn may be a more appropriate choice in areas where water is limited.

Aim: The aims of this study were to (1) formulate a baseline understanding of the performance of the indigenous Cypriot white grape Xynisteri and the red grape Maratheftiko (Vitis vinifera L.), and (2) compare these varieties to Shiraz and Sauvignon blanc grown in a Cypriot vineyard.Materials and results: The investigation involved multiple dry grown vineyards from the Krasochoria region of Lemesos, Cyprus, during the 2017, 2018 and 2019 vintages. Vine performance measurements, including midday stem water potential, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll content, stomata density, vine phenology and vegetative and reproductive measurements, were taken at flowering, veraison and pre-harvest. Xynisteri had the greatest stomatal density, more shoots, more leaves, heavier bunches, greater yield, higher leaf water potential at harvest, and a stomatal conductance equal to Maratheftiko, but greater than that of both Shiraz and Sauvignon blanc. Maratheftiko had the longest shoots, largest shoot diameter and the greatest chlorophyll content out of all four varieties.Conclusions: This study identified the ability of the indigenous Cypriot grape varieties, Xynisteri and Maratheftiko, to better tolerate hot and dry conditions when compared to more commonly cultivated varieties grown in the same environmental conditions.Significance and impact of the study: The changing climate of wine growing regions worldwide is placing great pressure on the resources for sustainable viticulture. Many vineyards in hot climate zones base their businesses on European grape varieties traditionally grown in regions with abundant water resources. It is therefore necessary for the global wine industry to investigate grape varieties that are indigenous to hot climates. The eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus is one such place, with more than 10 indigenous grape varieties that grow well in a hot climate without irrigation. Consumer studies have demonstrated that wines made from these Cypriot varieties are equally, if not more, acceptable than wines made from more traditional European grapes; therefore, the potential for their use in other hot wine growing regions is promising.

Abstract The effect of climate change (CC) on viticulture in Europe is of great concern and several international and indigenous grapevine cultivars have been examined for their adaptation to CC. In this study we focused on the short-term effects of light and moderate drought stress (DS) as well as heat stress (HS) on physiological and biochemical stress markers in Maratheftiko cultivar. We showed that leaf photosynthetic rate was decreased with DS and HS after 8 and 20 days. The leaf stomatal conductance was decreased in the case of DS after 8 days, while no differences could be found due to HS. Total phenols and flavonoids content and antioxidant capacity (FRAP and ABTS) were increased and seemed to be dependent on the relevant DS, HS and the period of stress exposure. Chlorophyll fluorescence was decreased in 50% volumetric water content (VWC) after 8 days of DS compared with the 100% VWC (control treatment). Leaf K and P content increased in moderate (50% VWC) irrigation stress and HS. Leaf hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation increased after 8 days of DS, and this resulted in the increase of antioxidant enzymes activity. Overall, Maratheftiko performance against environmental stresses is related more to short-term DS than HS.

Anthocyanins and volatile aromas may contribute to the identity of a wine varietal. Various parameters such as terroir (including vineyard altitude), viticultural management, vinification techniques and ageing conditions can influence the physiochemical pathways of the compounds. This work evaluated the anthocyanins and volatile compounds of two monovarietal wines from indigenous varieties, Yiannoudi and Maratheftiko, grown in the island of Cyprus from the vintages 2014, 2015 and 2016. The experimental analysis comprised the determination of anthocyanin’s profile (high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS) and fermentation derived volatiles (gas chromatography-flame ionization detector, GC-FID) and a blind wine testing sensory evaluation. Both the analytical results and the blind wine tasting showed that wines, at their early stage, were easily differentiated by variety, especially in terms of anthocyanins composition, while, in aged wines, the differences among samples were influenced in time by the winemaking procedures and it was not possible to differentiate varieties in such conditions.

Polyfunctional thiols have previously been shown to be key aroma compounds in Sauvignon blanc and more recently in Chardonnay wines. Their role in other wine varieties such as those made from three popular indigenous Cypriot grape varieties has remained unexplored. As an extension of a previous project that profiled the sensory and chemical characteristics of Cypriot wines and their comparison to Australian wines, this study aimed to investigate five potent thiols in Xynisteri, Maratheftiko, Giannoudhi, Pinot gris, Chardonnay and Shiraz wines. Wines were analysed utilising Stable Isotope Dilution Assay (SIDA) with derivatisation and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The varietal thiols measured were 4-methyl-4-sulfanylpentan-2-one (4MSP) that has an aroma of “boxwood” and “cat urine” at high concentration, 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (3SH) which has been described as having a “grapefruit/tropical fruit” aroma, and 3-sulfanylhexyl acetate (3SHA) that has also been described as having an aroma of “passionfruit”. Additionally, two other potent thiols were measured including benzyl mercaptan (BM) that has an aroma of “smoke and meat” and furfuryl thiol (FFT) that has been described as having a “roasted coffee” like aroma. The reason these thiols are known as potent thiols are due to their very low aroma detection thresholds in the low ng/L (ppt) range. Of the thiols that were measured, 3SH was the only varietal thiol detected in the red wine samples. All of the white wine samples contained 3SH, BM and 3SHA, whereas 4MSP was only detected in Pinot gris and three Xynisteri wines. The potent thiol, FFT, was detected only in the Chardonnay and four of the Xynisteri wines. Interestingly the thiols that were present in the samples were found at concentrations above their aroma detection thresholds (determined in hydroalcoholic solutions), especially 3SH which was found in an order of magnitude above its aroma detection threshold. These findings provide early knowledge of the presence of these thiols in Cypriot wines, compared with Australian wines and establish any relationships between this chemical data with previous wine sensory profile data.

Abstract The Middle East, the cradle of viticulture and wine production, is gradually but steadily becoming hotter and drier because of climate change (CC). In the current study, we evaluated the effect of tillage and irrigation on yield and quality characteristics of the heat-resistant, indigenous red-grape variety Maratheftiko for one year. Yield increased (two-fold) in vines with irrigation and tillage compared to tillage with no irrigation. The absence of tillage buffered the negative effect of the lack of irrigation on yield. At the veraison stage, leaf stomatal conductance decreased in non-irrigated vines, independently of the application of tillage or not. At veraison, tillage increased (up to 27.5%) phenolics when compared to no tillage in non-irrigated vines. Vines accumulated more N, P, and K and less Mg during the flowering stage compared to veraison. At veraison, irrigation decreased K content in vines subjected to tillage and decreased Mg content in vines subjected to no tillage. Total soluble solids and anthocyanins of berries increased with the absence of irrigation and tillage. Total phenolics increased with tillage in both irrigated and non-irrigated plants. Our results indicate that no tillage systems may be viable as an adaptation strategy in the context of CC.

Cypriot vineyards are considered as one among the earliest niches of viticulture and a pivotal hub for the domestication and dissemination of grapevine. The millennial presence of Vitis spp. in this Eastern Mediterranean island has given rise to a plethora of biotypes that have not been adequately characterized, despite their unique attributes and stress tolerance. This ancient germplasm also has an additional value since it survived the phylloxera outbreak; hence, it possesses a large amount of genetic diversity that has been unnoticed. In order to provide useful insights to the lineage of Cypriot vineyards, a two-year-spanning collection of centennial grapevine cultivars mostly regarded to belong to four indigenous variety clusters (“Mavro”, “Xynisteri”, “Maratheftiko”, and “Veriko”) was initiated. There were 164 accessions across the broader Commandaria wine zone sampled and characterized using a universal microsatellite primer set. Genetic analysis indicated that considered indigenous Cypriot germplasm has a polyclonal structure with a high level of heterozygosity. Moreover, several lineages or unexplored varieties may exist, since a larger than considered number of discrete genotypes was discovered. Furthermore, it was established that grapevine lineages in Cyprus were shaped across eras via clonal, as well as, sexual propagation. The special attributes of the Cypriot landscape are discussed.

Free radicals have an important role in food and in chemical material degradation, contributing to the occurrence of many human health problems, but the antioxidants can considerably delay or prevent the oxidation of easily oxidable substrates. The present research aimed to assess the antioxidant activity, expressed by the presence of polyphenols, flavonols, flavones, anthocyanidins and flavanols, in several Romanian and Cypriot wines. The wine phenolics content was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) Shimadzu equipped with two chromatographic columns. Higher concentrations were registered in all red wines. The antioxidant activity quantification was carried out by the DPPH method, a simple and cheap approach based on the absorbance decrease determination of the DPPH radical (2,2-diphenyl- 1- picrylhydrazyl) in the presence of antioxidants. The highest antioxidant activity for white wines was determined at ‘Spouriko’ for Cypriot wine from 2013 (EC 50 = 1/38) while for Romanian wines, the highest value was found in a ‘Tămâioasă românească’ (EC50 = 1/58) and for red wines at ‘Maratheftiko’ wine from 2012 (EC50 = 1/680) and in ‘Fetească Neagră’ wine from 2014 (EC50 =1/590). This study provides relevant information to consumers and industry alike regarding the beneficial role wine plays for human health. It also can act as a baseline for choosing a certain product, according to its sanogenic potential.

Aim: The aims of this study were to (1) generate sensory and chemical profiles of commercial Cypriot wines made from the white grape Xynisteri and the red grapes Maratheftiko and Giannoudhi and (2) assess the Australian consumers’ response to these wines.Methods and Results: A Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) method was used for sensory profiling of the wines (n=56 panellists on Xynisteri and n=60 on Maratheftiko and Giannoudhi) and to guide chemical analysis of flavour compounds. Chemical analysis involved quantitative analysis of aroma compounds by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and non-targeted profiling of phenolic compounds (non-volatile secondary metabolites) using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Australian wine consumer’s hedonic responses towards wines made from Cypriot grape varieties were also investigated. Consumers completed a questionnaire exploring their demographics, wine consumption habits, environmental/sustainability opinions and neophobic tendencies prior to the tasting. The first tasting (n consisted of six commercial Xynisteri, one Australian Pinot Gris and one Australian unwooded Chardonnay wines. The second (n=114) consisted of three Maratheftiko, one Giannoudhi and one Australian Shiraz wines.Conclusions: Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the RATA study identified the following sensory characteristics for Xynisteri wine: stone fruit, dried fruit, citrus, herbaceous, grassy, apple/pear, confectionary, vanilla, creamy, buttery, wood, and toasty. Maratheftiko wines were described as woody, dried fruit, chocolate, herbaceous, confectionary, jammy, sweet and full bodied. Giannoudhi wine was described as woody, dried fruit, chocolate and full bodied. Chemical analysis identified 15 phenolic compounds in the white wine samples and 17 in the red wine samples, as well as 21 volatile/aroma compounds in the white wine samples and 26 in the red wine samples. These chemical compounds were then correlated with sensory data from the RATA and consumer hedonic responses using Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) and PCA to determine consumer liking drivers for the wines. Three clusters of consumers were identified for the white and red wines. The overall consumer means for liking indicated that Cypriot wines were liked similarly to Australian wines.Significance and impact of the study: Australia’s changing climate is placing great pressure on the resources for sustainable viticulture. Many vineyards and wineries base their businesses on European grape varieties traditionally grown in regions with abundant water resources. It is therefore necessary for the Australian wine industry to investigate grape varieties that are indigenous to hot climates similar to Australia. The eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus is one such place with indigenous grape varieties that grow well in a hot climate without irrigation. These popular Cypriot wines have the potential to be popular with Australian consumers, thus offering new grape varieties to the Australian market that are better suited to the changing climate.

Wine production in Cyprus has strong cultural ties with the island’s tradition, influencing local and foreign consumers’ preferences and contributing significantly to Cyprus’ economy. A key contributor to wine quality and sensorial characteristics development is the microbiota that colonizes grapes and performs alcoholic fermentation. Still, the microbial patterns of wines produced in different geographic regions (terroir) in Cyprus remain unknown. The present study investigated the microbial diversity of five terroirs in Cyprus, two from the PGI Lemesos region [Kyperounta (PDO Pitsilia) and Koilani (PDO Krasochoria)], and three from the PGI Pafos region [Kathikas (PDO Laona Akamas), Panayia, and Statos (PDO Panayia)], of two grape varieties, Xynisteri and Maratheftiko, using high-throughput amplicon sequencing. Through a longitudinal analysis, we examined the evolution of the bacterial and fungal diversity during spontaneous alcoholic fermentation. Both varieties were characterized by a progressive reduction in their fungal alpha diversity (Shannon index) throughout the process of fermentation. Additionally, the study revealed a distinct separation among different terroirs in total fungal community composition (beta-diversity) for the variety Xynisteri. Also, Kyperounta terroir had a distinct total fungal beta-diversity from the other terroirs for Maratheftiko. Similarly, a significant distinction was demonstrated in total bacterial diversity between the PGI Lemesos region and the PGI Pafos terroirs for grape juice of the variety Xynisteri. Pre-fermentation, the fungal diversity for Xynisteri and Maratheftiko was dominated by the genera Hanseniaspora, Aureobasidium, Erysiphe, Aspergillus, Stemphylium, Penicillium, Alternaria, Cladosporium, and Mycosphaerella. During and post-fermentation, the species Hanseniaspora nectarophila, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, and Aureobasidium pullulans, became the predominant in most must samples. Regarding the bacterial diversity, Lactobacillus and Streptococcus were the predominant genera for both grape varieties in all stages of fermentation. During fermentation, an increase was observed in the relative abundance of some bacteria, such as Acetobacter, Gluconobacter, and Oenococcus oeni. Finally, the study revealed microbial biomarkers with statistically significant higher relative representation, associated with each geographic region and each grape variety, during the different stages of fermentation. The present study’s findings provide an additional linkage between the grape microbial community and the wine terroir.

The threat of climate change to the global wine industry is well documented. As such, many wine regions of the world are expected to face significant impacts in the next 50 years encompassing increasing temperatures, reduced rainfall, earlier harvests and heat induced berry composition changes. The majority of vineyards and wineries base their businesses on European grape varieties that traditionally do not have problems with water resources. This has led countries to investigate options to adapt to these challenges, with a particular focus on the drought and heat tolerant indigenous grape varieties of hot Mediterranean climates. Recently in Australia, producers have been seeking potential drought tolerant varieties from Greece, Portugal, Spain and Georgia. However, very little research has assessed these varieties under Australian conditions and there is a lack of knowledge on how they perform. The island of Cyprus is another hot wine growing region with a recent upsurge in interest and research into heat and drought tolerance and a return to cultivation of their indigenous varieties. To date there are at least 12 indigenous varieties that have been identified in Cyprus, but recent research indicates there could be more varieties and numerous clones in their germplasm. The aims of this project were to investigate the potential of two indigenous grape varieties from Cyprus for use in Australian viticulture and oenology. They objectives to meet these aims included: (1) generate sensory and chemical profiles of commercial Cypriot wines made from the white grape Xynisteri and the red grapes Maratheftiko and Giannoudhi compared to Australian Shiraz, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay wines, (2) assess the Australian consumers’ response to these wines, (3) investigate five potent thiols in Xynisteri, Maratheftiko, Giannoudhi, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Shiraz wines, (4) formulate a baseline understanding of the performance of the indigenous Cypriot white grape Xynisteri and the red grape Maratheftiko (Vitis vinifera L.), (5) compare these varieties to Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc grown in a Cypriot vineyard, (6) assess the response of Xynisteri to different irrigation regimes and (7) compare the performance of Xynisteri, Maratheftiko, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc grown in pots with different irrigation regimes in Australia and Cyprus. This research has addressed the seven aims by providing new knowledge on several aspects of Xynisteri and Maratheftiko grapevines and their wines. They include, the chemical composition and sensory attributes of wines made from these varieties. Consumers have demonstrated a liking for the wines and in some cases preferred these wines to wine made from more common varieties. Xynisteri was described sensorially as citrus, herbaceous, dried fruit, savoury, apple, pear, grass, herbaceous with a full length of fruit and non-fruit flavours in the after taste. Maratheftiko was described sensorially as dried fruit, strawberry, cherry, jammy, confectionery, bitter, sweet, chocolate, herbaceous and with full length of fruit flavours in the after taste. For the first time, chemical analysis supported this sensory analysis with aroma compounds correlating to chemical compounds responsible for these aromas and tastes. Varietal thiols are important compounds in certain varieties when fruity, tropical and citrus aromas are desired. This study measured the concentration of varietal thiols in these Cypriot wines and the concentration determined in these wines was comparable to those found in popular Australian wines such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Xynisteri and Maratheftiko growing in non-irrigated vineyards in Cyprus were bench marked against more commonly grown varieties for the first time. Along with this, irrigation trials in Australia and Cyprus compared the vine growth response to different irrigation regimes and highlighted that the Cypriot varieties were better suited to heat and drought stress than more commonly grown varieties due to their stomatal density and stomatal conductance assisting in managing midday stem water potential under heat and drought stress. Xynisteri in particular, was able to produce large above and below ground biomass under all irrigation conditions. Maratheftiko achieved large above ground biomass also but less below ground biomass than Xynisteri. However, both Xynisteri and Maratheftiko had total biomass greater than Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc. This research has identified several aspects of the Cypriot varieties Xynisteri and Maratheftiko that may make them suitable for cultivation in Australia. Consumer trials indicated acceptance of wines made from these varieties, highlighting potential marketing opportunities to target markets. It has also provided information that will guide future research in terms of how these varieties perform in Australian commercial vineyards and the mechanisms by which they achieve their drought resilience.
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, 2021