There are fundamentally two different ways in which indications of geographical origin (igos) can be protected. The us approach favors the pre-existing trademark system through collective marks (cms), while the eu approach favors a maximalist approach via a sui generis system which promotes appellations of origin (aos). A consensus however emerges regarding the fundamental protection of origin against misleading, confusing and dilutive uses. Previous literature discusses these competing igo logics from historical, legal and international trade perspectives. In this paper, we depart from the field of social sciences, in particular from recent advancements in the well-established literature on proximities, in order to provide a reflection on the different logics underpinning the aos and cms systems.

The sensory characteristics of wine are a topic studied by several researchers over time, but it continues to be a current and challenging subject. These characteristics are fundamental for the consumer acceptability, which has increasingly aroused their interest to modulate them in line with current market trends and innovation demands. The wine physical-chemical and sensory properties depend on a wide set of factors: they begin to be designed in the vineyard and are later constructed during the various stages of winemaking. Afterwards, the wine is placed in bottles and stored or commercialized.

Consumer expectations are increasingly shifting towards “residue-free wines.” However, from an analytical standpoint, “zero” does not exist. Laboratories often use the quantification limits of analysis methods to signify ‘zero.’ Improved techniques now allow for the quantification of levels that were previously undetectable. This is why we prefer to use the term “unquantifiable residue” rather than “absence of residues.”

The elaboration of sparkling wine is a demanding process requiring technical as well as scientific skills. Uncovering the role of the terroir to the final product quality is of great importance for the wine market. Although the impact of the yeast strains and their metabolites on the final product quality is well documented, the action of bacteria still remains unknown. The malolactic fermentation (MLF) is carried out by the lactic acid bacteria after the alcoholic fermentation in order to ensure the microbial stability during the second fermentation that takes place in the bottle or in tanks. Oenococcus oeni is the only selected species to drive MLF that has been commercialized for sparkling wine elaboration and it is naturally present on grapes, in the cellar and also in the final product. However, whether the bacterial strain contributes to the sensory characteristics of sparkling wine is still questioned.

Background: The Flavan-3-ol extraction from grape skin and seed during red-winemaking and their retention into wines depend on many factors, some of which are modified in the winemaking of blend wines. Recent research shows that Marselan, have grapes with high proportion of skins with high concentrations of flavanols, but produces red-wines with low proportion of skin derived flavanols, differently to the observed in Syrah or Tannat. But the factors explaining these differences are not yet understood.