Banques de données biologiques annuelles par terroir et optimisation des itinéraires culturaux

In wine producing regions around the world, climate change has the potential to decrease the frequency and amount of precipitation and increase average and extreme temperatures. This will lower soil water availability and increase evaporative demand, thereby increasing the frequency and intensity of water deficit experienced in vineyards. Among other things, grapevines manage water deficit by regulating stomatal closure. The dynamics of this regulation, however, have not been well characterized across the range of Vitis vinifera cultivars. Providing a method to understand how different cultivars regulate their stomata, and hence water use in response to changes in soil water deficits will help growers manage vineyards and select plant material to better meet quality and yield objectives in a changing climate.

The application of sensors in viticulture is a fast and efficient method to monitor grapevine vegetative, yield and quality parameters and determine their spatial intra-vineyard variability. Molecular analysis at the gene expression level can further contribute to the understanding of the observed variability by elucidating how pathways responsible for different grape quality traits behave in zones diverging for one or the other parameter. The intra-vineyard variability of a Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard was evaluated by a standard Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) mapping approach, employing UAV platform, accompanied by detailed ground-truthing (e.g. vegetative, yield, and berry ripening compositional parameters) that was applied in 14 spots in the vineyard. Berries from different spots were additionally investigated by microarray gene expression analysis, performed at five time points from fruit set to full ripening.

Aim: Grapevine has traditionally been widely cultivated in drylands. However, in recent decades, a significant part of the viticulture all over the word and specifically in Mediterranean basin, is being irrigated. In recent years, due to climate change, among other reasons, the available natural water resources have been reduced substantially compromising the sustainability of viticulture, especially in the most arid areas

The article presents the results of a study on the technological features of producing sparkling wines of the Pétillant Naturel (Pet-Nat) type, made using the ancestral method from the Muscat Ottonel and Pinot Noir grape varieties.

Mint aromas in wine, which manifest as “cool” or “fresh” character, can originate from different chemical classes, one of which is the terpenoids. A broadly diverse, naturally occurring class of chemical compounds, terpenes possess wide applications across multiple industries due to their pharmaceutical, antiseptic, medical, and aromatic properties. Monoterpenes, a subclass of terpenoids, likewise play a major role in wine sensory perception. Within the monoterpenes, those possessing “mint” odor qualities have often been studied in the context of “vegetal” or “herbal” wine faults; however, their role in positive aromatic evolution is less understood. Yet an extensive 2015 study of older premium Bordeaux red wines identified mint as a contributing factor in quality bouquet development. From that point, it was necessary to investigate the origins of those monoterpenes as well as the chemical conditions required for their development during ageing. Those two key points could finally facilitate predicting the apparition of minty character in older wines based on their composition while young.
A principal contributor is the cyclic monoterpene limonene, which was isolated relatively early in grapes and wine. Not only does limonene itself possess a cool, fresh odor, it is also a precursor for, and possible derivative of, additional mint monoterpenes. Among the most commonly found monoterpenes, limonene and its derivatives can constitute the majority of the essential oils of citrus fruits, mint and herb plants, and coniferous trees. Many of these mint monoterpenes also occur in grapes and wine. With aromas ranging from woody and earthy to citrus to mint and herbaceous, their contribution to wine is potentially diverse and multi-faceted. While sometimes, found at concentrations below the sensory threshold, synergistic effects between these molecules could render them perceivable.
This review looks at limonene and its transformation as studied in different matrices, and potential parallels or analogues in wine. Moreover, within the complex kinetics of wine aging, the relative concentrations of mint monoterpenes appears to continue to evolve and change, with additional evidence from model wine solutions suggesting they may even revert to their originating precursors. Continued study of mint monoterpenes and their role in wine aromatics will contribute to a deeper understanding of the development of aging bouquet and the longevity of premium wines.