Reconocimiento geoedafológico para la zonificación vitivinícola de la D.O. Montilla-Moriles

Environmental analysis (climate, vegetation, geomorfoloy-lanscape, lithology and soil) and its integration in a quality index taking the Appellation of Origin as the sole universe are used as general methodology for terroir zoning in Spain (Sotés and Gómez-Miguel, 1986-2005). This methodology is also applied to specific aspects of different Spanish Appellations of Origin (size, distribution and landscape peculiarities and vine occupation index).

Yeasts serve as highly versatile tools in oenology. They do more than just perform alcoholic fermentation. Nowadays, yeasts from various species, naturally present in grapes, are selected for specific non-fermentative applications. For example, the use of selected non-saccharomyces at the early stage of winemaking has become a common practice to limit the growth of unwanted microorganisms. When inactivated, yeasts can be fractionated into soluble and insoluble fractions providing a wide range of benefits related to structural components or specific metabolites.

Aim: In recent times the export of Beaujolais wines has been jeopardised due to a limit of manganese content (Mn) in wine implemented by China (2 mg/L), related to suspicions of potassium permanganate fraud. Nevertheless, soil Mn content may be high in some soil types in Beaujolais. The aim of this study was to improve knowledge of manganese transfer from soil to vine and wine because data on this subject is scarce.

Climate change is expected to provoke an increase in the frequency and intensity of drought events and water scarcity that will have detrimental effects on photosynthesis and plant yield. To sustain an appropriate plant yield under sub-optimal conditions, a common practice is the application of high amounts of fertilizers with negative environmental consequences. The present study aims at evaluating the interplay between water and nutrient availability, namely nitrogen (N) and potassium (K), in two grapevine cultivars with a different sensitivity to water shortage stress. Two-year-old Vitis Vinifera cv. Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache grapevine plants grafted on SO4 rootstock have been transferred in pots under semi-environmental conditions.

Phenolic compounds play a central role in sensory characteristics of wine, such as colour, mouthfeel, flavour and determine its shelf life. Furthermore, the major non-enzymatic wine oxidation process is due to the catalytic oxidation of phenols in quinones. Due their importance, during the years have been developed different analytical methods to monitor the concentration of phenols in wine, such as Folin-Ciocalteu method, spectrophotometric techniques and HPLC. These methods can also be used to follow some oxidation-related chemical transformations.