Known for its dry and semi-dry white wine, the Târnave vineyard located in central Transylvania is challenged by the current climate change, which has resulted in an increase of the period of active vegetation by approximately 15–20 days, the average annual temperature by 1–1.5 °C and also the amount of useful temperatures (useful thermal balance for the grapevine). Furthermore, the frost periods have been reduced. Transylvania is an important Romanian region for grapevine cultivation. In this context, one can use the climatic changes to expand their wine assortment by cultivating an autochthonous grapevine variety called Amurg. Amurg is a red grape cultivar homologated at SCDVV Blaj, which also homologated 7 cultivars and 11 clones. Because viticulture depends on the stability of meteorological and hydrological parameters of the growing area, its foundations are challenged by climate change. Grapevine production is a long time investment, taking at least five years before the freshly planted vines produce the desired quality berries. We propose the implementation of a climate change-based precision viticulture turn-key solution for environmental monitoring in the Târnave vineyard. This solution aims to evaluate the grapevine’s micro-climate to extend the sustainable cultivation of the Amurg red grapes cultivar in Transylvania with the final goal of obtaining Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) rosé and red wines from this region. Worldwide, the changing conditions from the existing climate (a 30-year average), used in the past hundred years to dictate local standards, such as new and erratic trends of temperature and humidity regimes, late spring freezes, early fall frosts, storms, heatwaves, droughts, area wildfires, and insect infestations, would create dynamic problems for all farmers to thrive. These conditions will make it challenging to predict shifts in each of the components of seasonal weather conditions. Our proposed system also aims to give a solution that can be adapted to other vineyards as well.

The Impact of Climatic Factors on the Rootstock Quality, in the Blaj Vineyard Center

The vine characteristics serve for a standardization and description of grapevine varieties. The presentation comprises characteristics distinguishing for the table grape varieties, but also indicates the agronomic aptitudes of table grape varieties, in Tarnave vineyard. Table grape varieties studied (Codreanca, Istriţa, Somesan, Transilvania, Cetăţuia, Splendid, Victoria, Timpuriu de Pietroasa) are grown in viticultural center Blaj.

Technological strategies on vines and winemaking conditions influenced the phenolic composition of wine. Cabernet Sauvignon vines were pruned at 20, 28 and 36 buds/vine. Grapes from each pruning variant were micro-vinified and macerated for 8 and 16 days. Gallic acid, trans-resveratrol, peonidin-3-monoglycoside and malvidin-3-acetyl glycoside were most significantly influenced by pruning level, maceration-fermentation period and interaction between these factors.