Second pruning as a strategy to delay maturation in cv. ‘Touriga nacional’ in the Portuguese Douro region

The potential climate change, due to global change, will increase temperature general and could increase at local level. These changes are not going to be the same in different parts of the world, being especially important in the Mediterranean Basin.

In winemaking grapes, it is known that most aroma compounds are present as non-volatile precursors, such as glycosidic precursors. In fact, there is strong evidence supporting the connection between the content of aroma precursors and the aromatic quality of wine [1]. Acid hydrolysis is preferred to reveal the aroma potential of winemaking grapes, as it predicts more accurately the chemical rearrangements occurring during fermentation in acidic environments [2]. In this study, a method involving a fast fermentation followed by acid hydrolysis at 75ºC was used to evaluate the accumulation of aroma compounds over time in fractions obtained from six different varieties of winemaking grapes.

Bottle ageing is a critical period for wine quality, as it undergoes various chemical and sensory changes during storage. Ideally, a phase of qualitative ageing, during which wine sensory quality improves, is followed by a decline of quality. Understanding how different oenological variables influence these phases is a key challenge in modern winemaking. Recent studies highlighted the significant role of oxygen in modulating reactions involving volatile and non-volatile components, impacting aroma evolution during bottle aging. Oxygen exposure of wine during bottle ageing is mediated by closure.

‘Tempranillo Tinto’ is one of the most relevant grapevine cultivars worldwide. Despite its early ripening and relatively short vegetative cycle, which may not be ideal for high-quality grape and wine production in warming conditions, its long-standing cultivation has led to an intense multiplication by cuttings, which originated the high level of clonal variation currently available. Now, this intra-varietal diversity provides an interesting opportunity for cultivar improvement by identifying genotypes with better adaptation potential.

Fungus-resistant grape varieties (frgv) are an important field of research in viticulture, as they represent a way of reducing the use of copper-containing pesticides and thus minimising the environmental impact. The literature suggests that resistant grape varieties are a promising solution to the problem of using copper-containing pesticides in viticulture and that their quality has improved in recent years. However, there are still challenges in the acceptance and dissemination of FRGV by wine producers and consumers.