Grapevine berry quality for winemaking depends on complex and dynamic relationships between the plant and the environment. Winemakers around the world are demanding a better understanding of the factors that influence berry growth and development. In the last decades, an increment in air temperature, CO₂concentration and dryness occurred in wine-producing regions, affecting the physiology and the biochemistry of grapevines, and by consequence the berry quality. The scientific community mostly agrees in a further raise as a result of climate change during the rest of the century. As a consequence, areas most suitable for viticulture are likely to shift into higher altitudes where mean temperatures are suitable for grape cultivation. High altitude can be defined as the minimum altitude at which the grapevine growth and development are differentially affected. At these high altitudes, the environments are characterized by high thermal amplitudes and great solar radiations, especially ultraviolet-B (UV-B). This review summarizes the environmental contribution of global high altitude-related climatic variables to the grapevine physiology and wine composition, for a better evaluation of the possible establishment of vineyards at high altitude in climate change scenarios.

We investigated the interactions of abscisic acid (ABA) in the responses of grape leaf tissues to contrasting ultraviolet (UV)‐B treatments. One‐year‐old field‐grown plants of Vitis vinifera L. were exposed to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) where solar UV‐B was eliminated by using polyester filters, or where PAR was supplemented with UV‐B irradiation. Treatments combinations included weekly foliar sprays of ABA or a water control. The levels of UV‐B absorbing flavonols, quercetin and kaempferol were significantly decreased by filtering out UV‐B, while applied ABA increased their content. Concentration of two hydroxycinnamic acids, caffeic and ferulic acids, were also increased by ABA, but not affected by plus UV‐B (+UV‐B) treatments. Levels of carotenoids and activities of the antioxidant enzymes, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and peroxidase were elevated by +ABA treatments, but only if +UV‐B was given. Cell membrane β‐sitosterol was enhanced by ABA independently of +UV‐B. Changes in photoprotective compounds, antioxidant enzymatic activities and sterols were correlated with lessened membrane harm by UV‐B, as assessed by ion leakage. Oxidative damage expressed as malondialdehyde content was increased under +UV‐B treatments. Our results suggest that the defence system of grape leaf tissues against UV‐B is activated by UV‐B irradiation with ABA acting downstream in the signalling pathway.