Primary results on the characterisation of “terroir” in the certified denomination of origin Rioja (Spain)

Schiava cv. (germ. Vernatsch) is a group of grape varieties used for winemaking (e.g. Kleinvernatsch-Schiava gentile, Grauvernatsch-Schiava grigia, Edelvernatsch-Schiava grossa) historically reported in Northern Italy, Austria, Germany and Croatia. Beside common phenotypic traits, these varieties have been also hypothesized to share a common geographical origin in Slavonia (Eastern Croatia). Nowadays, Schiava cv. are considered historical grape varieties of northern regions of Italy such as Lombardy, Trentino and South Tyrol. Traditionally widely consumed locally and also exported, over the past decades there has been a steady drop in production of these grapes, although with a parallel increase in wine quality. In this report, the effects of three main enological variables on the chemical components of Schiava produced in South Tyrol (var. Schiava grossa) are investigated from grape to bottle.

Wine oxidation is a problem that affects the freshness, the aromatic profile, the colour and also the mouthfeel of the wine. It mainly concerns white wines. Oxygen interactions with wine compounds lead to the phenomena cited above that are responsible for the depreciation of these wines. Barrel aging is a crucial step in the wine process because it allows many modifications as wine enrichment, colour stabilization, clarification and also a slow oxygenation of the wine. Effects of the oak barrel have to be known to prevent oxidation of the wine. We have been interested in the main antioxidant compounds released by oak barrels to the wine and we have developed an innovative method to reach directly these antioxidant compounds at the oak stave surface.

Around the world, the alcohol content of wine has been steadily increasing; partly as a consequence of climate change, but also due to improvements in viticultural management practices and winemaking techniques [1,2]. Concurrently, market demand for wines with lower alcohol levels has increased as consumers seek to reduce alcohol intake for social and/or health reasons [3]. As such, there is increasing demand for both innovative methods that allow winemakers to produce ‘reduced alcohol wines’ (RAW) and a better understanding of the impact of such methods on the composition of RAW. This study therefore aimed to investigate compositional changes in two red wines resulting from partial alcohol removal following treatment by one such method, involving a combination of reverse osmosis and evaporative perstraction (RO-EP).

Grape postharvest dehydration is a widely used technique for the special wines production, where genetic features, ripeness degree and environmental factors strongly influence the metabolic processes [1].

Most consumers enjoy wine in moderation, however, there remains a minority that may develop risky drinking habits, potentially harming themselves and those around them. For the last fifteen years, a prime objective of the wine in moderation programme has been to educate and empower the wine sector and now for the first time, a central education tool has been developed, integrating the topic of moderate consumption horizontally in all wine activities. The entire wine value chain – from the producer to the salesperson to the restaurant service staff – can contribute to reduce harmful consumption and encourage responsible drinking patterns.