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Grape ripening is a very complex biochemical process on which the quality of the must and the wine depends, its evolution being differentiated according to the variety and the climatic conditions. The current global and zonal climate changes are also directly influencing the development of physiological and biochemical processes during grape ripening. This study presents the analysis of the process of growing and ripening grapes at four varieties of vines for white wines, created at R.D.S.V.V. Odobești (Șarba, Băbească gri, Miorița and Vrancea) in the period 2020-2021, by analyzing the dynamic evolution of the three parameters that define the process of grape ripening: average mass of 100 berries (g), sugar content (g/L) and total acidity (g/L H₂SO₄), from veraison to grape harvest. During the study period the average duration of the grape ripening process was shorter (38.3 days), compared to the multiannual average (42.5 days), which confirms the influence of actual climate change in Odobești viticultural area.

Odobeşti Vineyard is one of the most famous and oldest Romanian vineyards, with a focus on white wines. To improve the existing assortment of varieties over time at the Research and Development Station for Viticulture and Vinification, Odobesti (RDSVV, Odobești), four vine varieties were obtained and approved: ʹŞarbaʹ (1972), ʹBăbească griʹ (1975), ʹMioriţaʹ (1980) and ʹVranceaʹ (2018), with superior quality and productive potential and a high capacity to capitalise on the edaphoclimatic conditions specific to this viticultual area. This study presents the behaviour of these varieties of vines in the climatic conditions of the Odobesti Vineyard in the period 2017–2021. The following parameters were studied and determined: the phenological spectrum of the vine, fertility and productivity (% fertile shoots, fertility coefficients, productivity indices), quantity and quality of grape production (grapes/vine, average bunch weight, grape production/vine, sugar content, total acidity and glucoacidimetric index). The data obtained were compared with the ʹSauvignon Blancʹ variety, which is widely grown in this area. The evolution of the vegetation phenophases was conditioned by the climatic factors during the study period. There was a tendency to shorten them due to the increase in air temperature values. The variety ʹVranceaʹ presented a high fertility potential (89.5% fertile shoots), the varieties ʹBăbească griʹ and ʹMiorițaʹ showed a higher productive potential than the control variety ʹSauvignon Blancʹ (6.06–6.12 kg/vine), and the variety ʹȘarbaʹ recorded the highest accumulations in sugars (230.5 g/L). In the climatic context of the Odobești Vineyard, the white wine varieties ʹȘarbaʹ, ʹBăbeasca griʹ, ʹMiorițaʹ and ʹVranceaʹ have demonstrated a valuable agrobiological and technological potential, comparable to that of the ʹSauvignon Blancʹ variety.

Vine varieties react differently to the influence of environmental factors by decreasing or significantly intensifying the vigour of shoot growth, a biological reaction that also affects fertility and productivity. This article presents data on some agrobiological properties (vegetative growth of shoots, fertility and productivity) of some white wine varieties, created at the Research and Development Station for Viticulture and Vinification (R.D.S.V.V.) Odobești, Vrancea County, Romania) – Şarba, Băbească gri, Mioriţa and Vrancea, in the period 2020 – 2021. The data obtained were compared with the control variety Fetească regală. In Odobeşti vineyard, 2020 was much warmer than normal, characterized by a severely deficient rainfall regime resulting in atmospheric drought, followed by the gradual development of pedological drought. The vigour of shoots was negatively influenced by the climatic conditions of the vegetation period in 2020, the highest values being recorded for the varieties Șarba (159.6 cm) and Vrancea (141.5 cm), which showed significant positive differences, compared to the control variety. The fertility of the buds was lower in 2020, compared to 2021, the Vrancea variety being distinguished by higher potential fertility than the varieties Șarba, Băbească gri and Miorița, but lower potential fertility than the control variety. The absolute fertility coefficient (Cfa) had superunitary values for all varieties (1.07 – 1.50), and the relative fertility coefficient (Cfr) had subunitary values, except for the Vrancea variety (1.32). The varieties Șarba, Băbească gri and Miorița achieved an absolute productivity index (Ipa) superior to the control variety Fetească regală due to the higher average weight of the grapes, and the relative productivity index (Ipr) ranged from 199 for the Vrancea variety to 182 for the variety Șarba.

From the middle of the 20th century, the majority of the world's highest quality wine-producing regions experienced an increase in temperatures during the growing season. Even if, through technological processes, this issue has been seen as an improvement, recent changes of climatic factors (mainly temperature, sunshine duration and rainfall) show a worrying trend. This study reveals the impacts of climate change in one of the oldest and most important vineyards in Eastern Europe (Odobești vineyard in Romania) on the quality of grapes. The varieties taken into study are ‘Șarbă, Băbească gri’ and ‘Fetească regală’, the first two being considered new created cultivars, while the latter is found on the largest areas of viticultural use. Grapevine phenology and composition were analysed according to literature and standard OIV regulations. Climatic data was gathered, throughout 50 years (1971-2021), by using a weather station of the Odobești Viticulture and Wine-making Research Development Station. A climatic assessment using Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) was achieved, focusing on two SSPs (SSP1-1.9 and SSP5-8.5). The climatic predictions show that for the analysed region, phenophases will change due to a temperature increase of over 1.5 oC, leading to an acceleration of 15 (SSP1-1.9) or 24 days (SSP5-8.5) in the case of grape maturation. The hastening of the yearly vine life cycle is correlated to a wide range of undesirable effects, among which an unequilibrated physical-chemical composition of fruits for wine production is considered a sore point in wine sector economy.