The present work was carried out in order to evaluate the physicochemical composition of the must of cv. Cabernet Franc. It was carried out during the 1995/1996 vegetative cycle, in eight vineyards conducted in the lyre system and located in the communes of Bento Gonçalves and Monte Belo do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul-State, Brazil. The average values of the variables showed similar results to those previously determined in the same region with other trellising systems: ºBrix - 17.0; total acidity - 113 meq L-1; pH - 3.17; total nitrogen - 246.1 mg L-1; total polyphenols (I 280) - 11.8; proline - 182.2 mg L-1; tartaric acid - 88 meq L-1; malic acid - 56 meq L-1; K - 951 mg L-1; P - 71.3 mg L-1; Ca - 34.4 mg L-1; and Mg - 50.2 mg L-1. These results show that grapevines trellised in the lyre system may be recommended to produce 'Cabernet Franc' grapes regarding soil and climatic conditions of the Serra Gaúcha region.
Viticulture; grape; must; chemical composition
