Creating Value for the Montepulciano D’Abruzzo PDO Chain: A Pilot Study of Supply Chain Traceability Using Multi-Elemental and Chemometrics Analysis of Wine and Soil

This study aims to enhance the value of the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo PDO supply chain by integrating multi-elemental and isotopic profiling with chemometric analysis. The objective is to establish a pilot study for origin authentication, supporting strategic, managerial, and regulatory decision-making for stakeholders in the wine sector. Wine and soil samples from producers in the Abruzzo region were analyzed for 63 elements and selected isotopic ratios using HR-ICP-MS and MC-ICP-MS. Exploratory data analysis, including PCA and clustering, was employed to investigate intrinsic data structure. Variable selection techniques identified the most discriminant markers, and multiple classification models were tested to assess producer-level differentiation. The combined elemental and isotopic dataset showed strong intrinsic structure. Four variables—Mo, 208Pb/206Pb, P, and 87Sr/86Sr—emerged as key discriminants. Quadratic Discriminant Analysis and Artificial Neural Networks achieved 100% accuracy in classifying samples by producer. The results demonstrate that integrating multi-elemental and isotopic data with chemometric tools offers a pilot approach to authenticate wine origin and enhance transparency across the PDO supply chain. Beyond scientific innovation, this study provides a pilot decision support model that can strengthen competitive differentiation, regulatory compliance, and sustainable territorial development, highlighting opportunities for digital transformation in PDO management.