Abstract

The study aims at comparing the effects of two rootstocks (3309C/salinity sensitive and 101–14Mgt/salinity-tolerant) on some major physicochemical and sensory properties of grapes and wines from Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) plants grown under a saline edaphic condition. Phenolics and polysaccharides were determined by means of spectrophotometric or HRSEC-RID approaches, respectively, while sensory profiles were assessed by a trained panel using the Temporal Dominance of Sensations method. The study showed that both rootstocks displayed different effects on various physicochemical parameters and on the sensory features of CS grapes and wines. Thus, grapes of plants grafted on the rootstock sensitive to salinity showed the lowest pH scores and total tannin contents throughout maturation. Also, wines produced after this treatment displayed significantly lower total phenol indices (TPI) and tannin contents as well as a higher chloride concentration. In addition, wines produced from plants grafted on salinity-sensitive rootstocks were perceived as less astringent and much saltier. Altogether, the study showed that both chemical composition and sensory profile of CS grapes and wines may be markedly influenced by the rootstock and that effect may be highly dependent on the physiological interplay between the rootstock and the edaphic properties. © 2025 The Author(s)