Metabonomic investigation by 1H-NMR to highlight differences between red wines from organic and biodynamic grapes

In recent years biodynamics has received attention from the wine industry with many notable winegrape growers converting to biodynamic practices [1]. Biodynamics shares much in common with organic methods of farming, including soil building, crop rotations, and composting. A peculiarity of this method is the use of special preparations that are applied to the soil, crops and composts. The present study aimed to compare organic and biodynamic red wines, to ascertain the influence of the different agricultural practices. For the purpose two parts of a single field, constituted by two plant rows each, were dedicated to respectively to organic and biodynamic farming. Micro-vinifications were performed in two consecutive years, so that eight wine samples were obtained. A principal component analysis showed clear differences between the samples obtained in different years, mainly linked to the ethanol concentration. A second pattern was clearly visible, linked to the agricultural practice, due to differences in the concentrations of -amino-butyric acid, trans caffeic acid and some sugars.