EFFECT OF CANOPY MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES ON THE NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF MONTEPULCIANO GRAPEVINE IN PUGLIA (SOUTHERN ITALY)

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Aims</strong>: Tests were carried out to assess the effects of early defoliation, cluster thinning and cluster cutting on the basic and nutritional composition of musts and wines of <em>Vitis vinifera</em> L. cv. Montepulciano.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Methods and results</strong>: Both production and quality variables of the musts were evaluated. Antioxidant activity was determined on berries and on wines, as were the phenol and anthocyanin concentrations. The wines were compared by sensory evaluation. The results attested to a positive effect of the treatments on grape compositi…