Exploring Red Wines from the Drama Region: A Chemical, Sensory, and Terroir Insight

Drama represents one of the distinct winegrape regions in the continuous growth of northern Greece. Yet, little is known about grape, must, and wine quality in various parts of the region. Determining the physicochemical characteristics of the Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Agiorgitiko grape varieties grown in different locations in the area across two vintages, their chromatic characteristics, phenolic profile, and organoleptic characteristics were the goal of this study. The results reveal a high variation in the physicochemical characteristics of must and wine among the locations. The location affects the profile of phenolic compounds with procyanidin B2, catechin, procyanidin B3, procyanidin B1, epicatechin, and gallic acid being present in high amounts. Merlot wines from the location with the highest altitude showed a higher amount of quantified phenolics. Altitude positively affected the yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) levels and negatively the wine’s purple hue. Moreover, the grape weight negatively affects the levels of some of the quantified phenolic compounds. On the other hand, both altitude and YAN positively impact the taste of wines. The altitude represents a significant parameter in the location studied that influences the quality parameters and taste of the wines. As part of climate adaptation strategies for viticulture in the Drama region and other comparable regions, high-altitude vineyard development should be studied to preserve the grape’s acidity and counteract warming trends.