GRAPE SPECIALIZED METABOLITES (GSM) ARE IMPORTANT CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS FOR WINE QUALITY PRODUCED BY GRAPEVINES IN TEMPERATE CLIMATE WITH WARM AND DRY SUMMERS MODERATE PRECIPITATION AND MILD WINTERS; THESE CONDITIONS ARE BECOMING DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE IN SEVERAL VITICULTURE AREAS DUE TO GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGES. IN PARTICULAR COOL VITICULTURAL REGIONS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY ELEVATED PRECIPITATION AND A SHORT GROWING SEASON AND CHALLENGED TO ACHIEVE CONSISTENTLY OPTIMAL GSM WITH DETRIMENTAL ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES FOR GRAPE GROWERS AND WINERIES. THIS STUDY WILL FOCUS ON EARLY LEAF REMOVAL (ELR) TECHNIQUE WHICH MODIFIES THE MICROCLIMATE AROUND THE CLUSTER EARLY IN THE GROWING SEASON. ELR IS AN INNOVATIVE VITICULTURE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE INTRODUCED RECENTLY IN THE INDUSTRY AND IT HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED AS A TOOL TO DECREASE FRUIT-SET CONTROL YIELD AND REDUCE CLUSTER ROT. HOWEVER ELR IMPROVES LIGHT INTERCEPTION AND INCREASES CLUSTER TEMPERATURE VERY EARLY IN THE SEASON WITH THE POTENTIAL OF ENHANCING THE ACCUMULATION OF PRIMARY COMPOUNDS AND GSM. THE UNDERSTANDING OF THIS NEW AGRONOMICAL STRATEGY WILL BE SUPPORTED BY METABOLOMICS AND TRANSCRIPTOMICS STUDIES ON PRIMARY AND SECONDARY GRAPE METABOLITES THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT OF THE MOLECULAR DIVERSITY DURING GRAPE BERRY MATURATION. VINE PHYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES WILL BE TIGHTENED TO GRAPE BIOCHEMISTRY INVESTIGATIONS OF THE TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATION WITH RNA SEQUENCING. THIS STUDY WILL ANSWER THE LONG-STANDING AND ELUSIVE QUESTION OF WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF COLOR SPECIALIZED METABOLITES PROMOTED BY VITICULTURAL PRACTICES AND STRESS PROVIDING A PARADIGM OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF THE COLOR SPECIALIZED COMPOUNDS BY WHICH ELR IMPACTS PLANT GROWTH AND ENHANCES PRODUCTION.