Grape ripening heterogeneity in white and red cultivars ( <scp> <i>Vitis vinifera</i> </scp> L.) grown on different calcareous soils using technological and phenolic markers

Grape ripening behavior is influenced strongly by both cultivar and soil texture. Autochthonous cultivars, particularly GR and ND, exhibited greater ripening uniformity at harvest, suggesting a stronger adaptation to their native terroirs. Marlstone soils consistently promoted more homogeneous ripening, likely due to their superior water retention capacity. These findings highlight the importance of understanding soil effects in optimizing grape quality and support the development of more effective cultivar-soil matching strategies, especially in the face of increasing climate variability. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.