Reducing the pH of wine by increasing grape sunlight exposure: a method to mitigate the effects of climate warming

The objective of this work was reducing the pH of wine through manipulating grape exposure. Two different training systems (VSP = vertical shoot positioning and free cordon) combined with leaf thinning treatments were performed within a commercial vineyard in order to modify bunch exposition levels to the sunlight radiation during 2010 and 2011 years. Leaf thinning and trellis systems involved significant differences in the pH of wine during the two years: the pH of wine decreased when the bunch exposure was increased in the vineyard. Manipulating grape exposure is a valuable tool in order to modify the pH of wine