Wine grapes have the ability to accumulate high amounts of hexoses (glucose and fructose), which is considered one of the main processes occurring during the ripening stage. Sugar accumulation dynamics respond to genetic, environmental and vineyard management factors, with a changing climate leading to advanced and faster sugar accumulation worldwide. Research on mitigation techniques to this phenomenon is ongoing, with the largest focus being vineyard techniques to delay sugar accumulation. Breeding represents another powerful tool to address the issue of high sugar concentration at harvest, since historical trends of selecting best sugar-accumulators may be inverted to breed varieties that accumulate diminished concentrations of hexoses while maintaining optimal acidity, color, mouthfeel and aroma compounds.

Vineyard soil surveys can be costly and time consuming. The Soils Information System (SIS) provides a set of tools to do a quick evaluation of soil physical properties in the vineyard. First, a system equipped with GPS and EM38 equipment, provides a very precise DEM and a soil electrical conductivity map. Specific sampling points are located for a tractor-mounted geotechnical probe to make soil physical measurements.

Malolactic fermentation (MLF) is a desired process in red and acidic white wines, after alcoholic fermentation (AF), carried out by the lactic acid bacterium (LAB) Oenococcus oeni. The advantages are an increase of pH, microbiological stabilization and organoleptic improvement of the final wine. However, the presence of stress factors such as ethanol, low pH, high total SO2, lack of nutrients and presence of inhibitors, could affect the successful completion of MLF [1]. Changes in amino acid composition and deficiencies in peptides after AF, showed that MLF can be delayed, signaling its importance for bacterial growth and L-malic acid degradation during MLF [2].

The species and origin used for red wine oak aging determines the physiological composition of the wood and thus the finished wines. In America, oak is grown primarily in the states of Virginia, Missouri, Kentucky, Oregon, Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin and California. The aim of this study was to analyze how the choice of barrels made with Quercus Alba oak from different geographic areas of the United States (Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania) influences the polyphenolic composition of Tempranillo red wines.

With alcohol consumption steadily declining, the growing popularity of dry january, a fiercely competitive environment, high dry matter inflation, economic upheavals, commercial uncertainties… The wine industry must adapt and offer products that meet consumer expectations, without denying their historical singularities.