Strontium Isotope Characterization of Wines from the Quebec (Canada) Terroir

Abstract

The 87Sr/86Sr ratio of grape, wine and soil samples collected in 13 commercial vineyards located in three major wine producing area of Quebec were measured. Our results show that the Sr isotope ratios in soils, as expected, are intimately related to the local geology. A strong relationship exists between the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the wine and the grape, indicating that the vinification process does not alter the strontium budget. This shows that the isotope approach could be used as an adulteration tool in forensic science for unambiguously authenticating the provenance of commercial wines in Quebec.