This study aimed to evaluate the ripening parameters of seven grape (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars, Shiraz, Rkatsiteli, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Bayanshira, cultivated in the mountain-marine zone of Aghbash Village, Shabran District, Azerbaijan. They sustained assessment through physicochemical properties of wines produced from these grape cultivars during 2024. In grape berries, determining the mass concentration of sugars, titratable acidity, and pH succeeded. In wine samples, ethanol volume fraction, residual sugar, titratable acidity, volatile acidity, extract content, total and free sulfur dioxide, total phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, and tannins underwent analysis. The results revealed the combined influence of mountains and marine factors significantly affects the grape’s biochemical composition and wine quality parameters. The highest sugar concentration resulted in cultivars Cabernet Franc and Bayanshira (23.4 g/100 cm³), whereas the highest titratable acidity emerged in the cultivar Rkatsiteli (7.0 g/L). The pH values of the studied grape cultivars were within the optimal range. The physicochemical parameters of the wines complied with current regulatory requirements. The red wines exhibited the highest levels of total phenolics, anthocyanins, and tannins compared with white wines.
Grape (V. vinifera L.) cultivars, grapes’ biochemical composition, wines’ physicochemical parameters, grape maturity, Caspian Sea, Greater Caucasus Mountains
The interaction of topographic factors, sea breezes, solar radiation, and temperature played a key role in shaping the sugar-acid balance of grapes (V. vinifera L.). The mountain-sea terroir of the Shabran Region developed favorable ecological conditions for the production of high-quality industrial grapes and wine products, confirming the potential for sustainable development of the industry in this region.