Grapevine varietal diversity as mitigation tool for climate change: Agronomic and oenologic potential of 14 foreign varieties grown in Languedoc region (France)

Successful powdery mildew (PM) infection in plants relies on Mildew Resistance Locus O (MLO) genes, which encode susceptibility factors essential for fungal penetration. In Arabidopsis, loss-of-function mutations in three clade-V MLOs, AtMLO2, 6, and 12 confer complete resistance to PM infection. Since then, efforts are on to discover MLO genes contributing to PM susceptibility in many species to introduce mlo-based PM-resistance. Earlier studies in tomato and grapevine, using the RNAi approach, attributed PM susceptibility to SlMLO1, 5, and 8 and VvMLO3, 13, and 17, respectively indicating likely functional redundancy among MLOs.

Wine tourism has transformed from a leisure activity into a crucial part of the tourist experience, significantly contributing to rural tourism’s expansion in italy. It has witnessed a notable surge in popularity in recent years, evolving as a key motivator for travel (antonioli corigliano, 2002; brunori & rossi, 2000; città del vino & censis servizi, 2011; garibaldi, 2018; 2019a; 2020; montanari, 2009; romano & natilli, 2009). The allure of wine tourism, driven by sensory experiences and cultural immersion, continues to attract a diverse group of tourists. The economic impact is substantial, with events and festivals contributing approximately €2.5 billion annually.

Aim: To quantify the extent to which national mixes of wine grape varieties (in terms of vineyard bearing area) have become more or less diversified, and ‘internationalized’, since wine globalization accelerated from the 1990s.

According to winemakers, wine experts and sommeliers, aromas of wet stone, mineral, struck match and flint in white wines styles, such as those produced from Vitis vinifera L. cv. Chardonnay, are considered to be hallmarks of positive reduction.1,2 In recent years, the production of Chardonnay styles defined by aroma characteristics related to positive reduction has become more desirable among wine experts and consumers. The chemical basis of positive reduction is thought to originate from the concentration of specific volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), including methanethiol (MeSH) imparting mineral and chalk notes,3 and benzenemethanethiol (BMT) responsible for struck match and flint.1,4

En France, la notion de Terroir a largement contribué à la réputation de nombreux vignobles. Elle a permis aussi d’accentuer la sensibilité des consommateurs, à la notion d’origine d’un produit. L’avenir de nombreux vignobles français semble lié à la capacité à innover en produisant des vins de qualité possédant en plus une typicité, aspect sensoriel susceptible de s’affirmer comme un facteur de vente auprès des futurs clients éduqués sur le plan du goût.