From vine to wine: integrating conventional and advanced analytical techniques to support breeding. A Barbera, Croatina, and Ervi pivotal study

The introduction of new grapevine varieties has long accompanied viticulture and enology, enabling the emergence of new wine styles and ensuring the continuity of oenological practice. If the 19th century’s challenge was to preserve viticulture through the deployment of new hybrids, the subsequent century sought to obtain varieties capable of producing high quality wines. It was in this context that Ervi was selected and introduced as a variety born from the cross between Barbera and Croatina (Vitis vinifera), two of the major cultivars in northern Italy by Prof. Mario Fregoni, capturing the essence of the typical northwestern blend and thereby mimicking the canonical Gutturnio DOC, traditionally obtained blending these two varieties. Ervi was selected in late ‘70 and granted full authorization only in 1999. Previous studies have underscored its excellent viticultural and oenological aptitude in comparison to its parentals. To further investigate the new breed’s traits, this study was performed. We analysed in-plant productive traits, grapes and wine characteristics, using conventional techniques (UV-Vis, LC-UV) alongside advanced approaches (UHPLC-HRMS). In detail, productive parameters and quality traits were assessed in planta, on grapes, and on wines; finally, we performed a complete UHPLC–HRMS profiling on skins, seeds, and wines. The study pursued multiple aims: first, to confirm the oenological aptitude of the new Ervi breed; second, to evaluate whether HRMS tools can support the breeding process. In this respect, Ervi’s excellent oenological aptitude was confirmed, both with respect to its parental cultivars and to its commercial counterpart: Gutturnio. Moreover, the large HRMS datasets from skins/seeds (on Barbera, Croatina and Ervi) and from wines (Barbera, Croatina, Ervi and Gutturnio) were analysed trough metabolomic tools (OPLS and PLS DA), corroborating the findings of conventional analyses: namely, solid oenological aptitude and the integration of the parental cultivars’ main positive traits within a single new variety, with an higher closeness to Croatina respect to Barbera, and a pronounced accumulation of anthocyanins. In conclusion, the combined use of conventional and advanced analytical techniques, applied to this phenotyping case proved to be an excellent support tool, confirming prior indications in the literature for Ervi, and positioning UHPLC-HRMS as a valuable resource for supporting the breeding of new grapevine varieties.