Rootstock Effect on Vitis vinifera Cv. Cabernet Sauvignon Grape Composition and Wine Aroma Compounds

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 20 rootstocks on Cabernet-Sauvignon grown in the GreffAdapt plot, a long-term experimental vineyard designed to study rootstock-scion interactions, over three vintages (2020, 2021, and 2022) that differed in climatic conditions. Vine vigor, yield, and berry composition were analyzed, and a range of wine aroma compounds quantitated in wines produced through standardized vinification conditions. The results showed a strong rootstock influence on maturity parameters, particularly organic acids, with interactions between climate and vine vigor. Among the wine volatiles, significant rootstock effects were only observed for β-damascenone, 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine, and linalool. Variations in the concentration of other aroma compounds, such as furanones, lactones, and esters, depending on the rootstock, could potentially affect wine aroma. While rootstock behavior can be strongly impacted by vintage conditions, a clear link between grape maturity parameters and wine aromatic composition was found here, with rootstock mainly modulating maturity through vine vigor. These important insights into the role of rootstock in shaping grape maturity and aromatic composition could contribute to providing solutions for adapting vineyard management to climate variability.