The Influence of Climatic Conditions Associated with Altitude on the Volatile Composition of Cabernet Sauvignon Wines from Argentina, Spain and Portugal

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear Authors,

In this study, authors examine the volatile compounds in Cabernet Sauvignon wines from vineyards at different altitudes in Argentina, Spain, and Portugal. It aims to evaluate how altitude and associated climatic factors affect wine aroma compounds in the context of climate change, potentially informing winemaking decisions. However, the study should address the following concerns before publication. In addition, this study does not meet the standards of the journal in its current form. Besides, the manuscript format was prepared very sloppy, especially tables. Authors need to correct these deficiencies.

In the introduction section of the study, the authors should mention climate indices and the effect of these indices on wine quality in a short paragraph. Also briefly mention specific volatile compounds that are important in Cabernet Sauvignon wines and how they contribute to the aroma profile of the wine.

Include a brief description of how climate change may alter traditional viticultural regions and the potential for new areas at higher altitudes or latitudes.

Provide a clear statement of the study's hypothesis or expected results regarding the relationship between altitude and volatile compounds in wine.

The authors should address the following concerns in their Materials and Methods section

Provide more detailed information on the winemaking process, including fermentation conditions, yeast strains used, and any post-fermentation treatments applied.

Specify the number of replicates for each wine sample and describe the statistical methods employed for data analysis.

If sensory evaluations were conducted, include a brief description of the methods used to correlate volatile compound analysis with perceived wine characteristics.

Offer additional details on the GC-MS analysis, such as the ion source temperature, transfer line temperature, and the method used for quantifying volatile compounds.

Explain the process of climate data collection and analysis, including the specific time period covered for each vineyard location.

Mention any relevant vineyard management practices that could potentially influence grape composition and, consequently, wine volatiles.

Similarly, authors should address the following concerns for the discussion and conclusion sections:

The discussion on climate indices (Winkler and Huglin) requires more depth, particularly in relating these indices to the volatile compound findings.

Discussion should provide more context on how their findings compare to previous studies on altitude effects on Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

There is insufficient explanation of the biochemical pathways or mechanisms that might explain the observed differences in volatile compounds across altitudes. please add.

The conclusion lacks specific recommendations for viticulturists or winemakers based on these findings, which would enhance the practical implications of the study. please add.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Minor editing of English language required.

Author Response

Dear Academic Editor and Reviewers,

The answers and comments are attached below, to each and every one of the comments received. The answers have been marked in blue in the text and corrections of pdf. from Reviewer 2 in yellow.

We appreciate them, because they have really helped to significantly improve the work carried out, clarifying some of the key aspects of it.

We hope that the answers are in accordance with what was requested, as well as that the work adapts to the quality standards of the journal.

Best regards

Mar Vilanova (corresponding author)

 

Reviewer 1

In this study, authors examine the volatile compounds in Cabernet Sauvignon wines from vineyards at different altitudes in Argentina, Spain, and Portugal. It aims to evaluate how altitude and associated climatic factors affect wine aroma compounds in the context of climate change, potentially informing winemaking decisions. However, the study should address the following concerns before publication. In addition, this study does not meet the standards of the journal in its current form. Besides, the manuscript format was prepared very sloppy, especially tables. Authors need to correct these deficiencies.

 

In the introduction section of the study, the authors should mention climate indices and the effect of these indices on wine quality in a short paragraph. Also briefly mention specific volatile compounds that are important in Cabernet Sauvignon wines and how they contribute to the aroma profile of the wine.

A new paragraph was included in the introduction (Lines 46-58) as follow:

 

A number of vine bioclimatic indices have been proposed with the aim of characterizing viticultural areas and determining the suitability of different grape varieties for cultivation in the environment of a given region (Winkler, 1974; Huglin, 1986; Fregoni and Pezzutto, 2000; Tonietto and Carbonneau, 2004). One of the most frequently used indices is the Winkler index (or sum of heat in growing degree-days), with a base temperature of 10 °C during the vegetative period of the vine. Another widely used index is Huglin index in which the temperature sum over the temperature threshold of 10 °C is calculated and then summed for all days from beginning of April to end of September. Huglin index can be used to estimate the suitability of specific regions for various grapevine varieties. Another one, Fregoni Quality Index (FI), which takes into account the thermal amplitude during the month of ripening and the number of days with temperatures below 10 °C (Fregoni and Pezzutto, 2000).

References were also included.

 

Include a brief description of how climate change may alter traditional viticultural regions and the potential for new areas at higher altitudes or latitudes.

A new paragraph was included in the introduction (Lines 57-61) as follow:

 

The climatic conditions in traditional wine-growing regions were previously characterized by warm-temperate conditions, but climate change increased the temperatures. These changes include an increase in temperature, a greater frequency of heatwaves and a more extensive occurrence of droughts (Santos et al., 2020).

Reference (Santos et al., 2020) was also included.

 

 

 

Provide a clear statement of the study's hypothesis or expected results regarding the relationship between altitude and volatile compounds in wine.

Ok, it was done (Lines 93-96)

 

The authors should address the following concerns in their Materials and Methods section

Provide more detailed information on the winemaking process, including fermentation conditions, yeast strains used, and any post-fermentation treatments applied.

More detail was included as the referee have recommended (lines 109-113 and 122)

 

Specify the number of replicates for each wine sample and describe the statistical methods employed for data analysis.

All analyses were performed in triplicate and this was described in the text (line 146 and 147).

All data analysis was described in Statistical analysis (lines 171-177)

 

If sensory evaluations were conducted, include a brief description of the methods used to correlate volatile compound analysis with perceived wine characteristics.

No, sensory evaluation was not done. We don’t have data.

 

Offer additional details on the GC-MS analysis, such as the ion source temperature, transfer line temperature, and the method used for quantifying volatile compounds.

GC-MS data were included (Lines 150-168) in yellow color.

 

Explain the process of climate data collection and analysis, including the specific time period covered for each vineyard location.

Now we have explained the climate data collection in (lines 109-111):

The Argentinean and Portuguese climatic data were obtained from the National Service of each country and from the station close to the vineyards. In the case of Spain, the data were collected from meteorological stations of each different community.

 

Mention any relevant vineyard management practices that could potentially influence grape composition and, consequently, wine volatiles.

We have included more information as the reviewer recommended:

Lines 110-112: All vineyards were trained in Vertical Shoot Positioning, with short pruning. No relevant vineyard management was applied.

 

Similarly, authors should address the following concerns for the discussion and conclusion sections: The discussion on climate indices (Winkler and Huglin) requires more depth, particularly in relating these indices to the volatile compound findings.

Discussion should provide more context on how their findings compare to previous studies on altitude effects on Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

There is insufficient explanation of the biochemical pathways or mechanisms that might explain the observed differences in volatile compounds across altitudes. please add.

The conclusion lacks specific recommendations for viticulturists or winemakers based on these findings, which would enhance the practical implications of the study. please add.

Ok, this was done

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This is an interesting paper that addresses the effects of altitude and region on Cabernet Sauvignon aroma compound concentration.  It is fairly well-written and rather than include a long list of text edits I have attached a marked manuscript.  Most of the changes I suggest are corrections of tense, word use, some typos, etc.  I can compile a list of needed changes if necessary.  

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Comments on the Quality of English Language

English is for the most part fine.  As I mentioned in my comments, there are some issues of tense, word use, typos, etc.

Author Response

Dear Academic Editor and Reviewers,

The answers and comments are attached below, to each and every one of the comments received. The answers have been marked in blue in the text and corrections of pdf. from Reviewer 2 in yellow.

We appreciate them, because they have really helped to significantly improve the work carried out, clarifying some of the key aspects of it.

We hope that the answers are in accordance with what was requested, as well as that the work adapts to the quality standards of the journal.

Best regards

Mar Vilanova (corresponding author)

Reviewer 2

 

This is an interesting paper that addresses the effects of altitude and region on Cabernet Sauvignon aroma compound concentration.  It is fairly well-written and rather than include a long list of text edits I have attached a marked manuscript.  Most of the changes I suggest are corrections of tense, word use, some typos, etc.  I can compile a list of needed changes if necessary.

Thank you for your corrections.

Changes were made as the reviewer have recommended (in yellow color in the text)

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear Authors,

the manuscript is well written with high level of originality. 

There are two major concernes regarding this paper. 

The first one (and less important) is description of experimental vineyards. Some important information like vineyard design, exposition, rootstock, training and trellising etc. are missing. Those information are very important for better understanding of results obtained.

The second one is country as the treatment for statistical analysis. There is only one vineyard from Portugal, so I suppose that ANOVA is inappropriate here. 

There are some techical mistakes:

Table 2 headline is missing, and in the same table description there is row instead of column.

There is unclear measurement unit in Figure 1.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Minor English editing is required. For example:

Cabernet Sauvignon is appropriate. Not Cabernet-Sauvignon

L. 47 its

L. 180 tree

L. 187 it's

L. 189 average temperature

L. 200 were showed

Table 1 sabdy loam

There is also mistake in reference L. 464. It should be Radeka instead of Radek and Budić-Leto instead of Budić-Leton.

Author Response

Dear Academic Editor and Reviewers,

The answers and comments are attached below, to each and every one of the comments received. The answers have been marked in blue in the text and corrections of pdf. from Reviewer 2 in yellow.

We appreciate them, because they have really helped to significantly improve the work carried out, clarifying some of the key aspects of it.

We hope that the answers are in accordance with what was requested, as well as that the work adapts to the quality standards of the journal.

Best regards

Mar Vilanova (corresponding author)

Reviewer 3

 

Dear Authors,

the manuscript is well written with high level of originality. 

There are two major concerns regarding this paper. 

The first one (and less important) is description of experimental vineyards. Some important information like vineyard design, exposition, rootstock, training and trellising etc. are missing. This information is very important for better understanding of results obtained.

Thank you. A new paragraph explaining the requirements was added (lines 111-113)

 

The second one is country as the treatment for statistical analysis. There is only one vineyard from Portugal, so I suppose that ANOVA is inappropriate here. 

Thank you for your recommendation. However, when we have made an ANOVA we try to compare all altitudes. In Portugal we only have three replications from one location (one altitude), therefore permit to do the ANOVA. Moreover, it is important to include Portugal because is the lowest altitude studied. The objective of this work is to compare the climatic conditions produced by altitudes to know its effect on wine volatiles.

 

There are some technical mistakes:

Table 2 headline is missing, and in the same table description there is row instead of column.

There is unclear measurement unit in Figure 1.

Sorry. These mistakes in table 2 were done when tables were located in the template.

We have had any problems with this.

Now this is OK

Figure 1 now is correct (mg/L). Sorry, I think was changed by copy and paste.

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Minor English editing is required. For example:

Cabernet Sauvignon is appropriate. Not Cabernet-Sauvignon

1. 47 its/it??
2. 180 tree /(Three)
3. 187 it's /is
4. 189 average temperature
5. 200 were showed/.

Table 1 sabdy loam /sandy loan

There is also mistake in reference L. 464. It should be Radeka instead of Radek and Budić-Leto instead of Budić-Leton.

Thanks. All changes were done

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Accept in present form.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Accept in present form.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear Authors,

thank you for explanatiions you offered and corrections you've made. Manuscript is now acceptable for publication.