Biovi: a research program for reducing chemical input in vine and wine

Abstract

Decrease of chemical inputs during vine management and winemaking is of great importance from a political and societal point of view. In our ongoing project we propose alternative tools to chemicals in the vineyard and the cellar. We have compared a conventional vineyard protection strategy to an alternative strategy using copper and biocontrol products (Biocontrol) against downy and powdery mildews. Both strategies were compared regarding sanitary quality, berries and/or must enological parameters, and physical, biochemical and biological characteristics (berry surface observation, proteomic, metabolomic, volatilomic, metagenomic analyses). Musts obtained with both strategies were then used to assess compatibility with wine bioprotection. Bioprotection is an enological practice that consists of supplying microorganisms in order to reduce the use of sulfites during prefermentation winemaking steps. This practice was evaluated and the efficiency of non-Saccharomyces yeast was assessed (competition with indigenous yeast) as an alternative to sulfites requirement. The antioxidant capacity of wines obtained was also assessed. The four wines categories obtained from combination of Copper-Biocontrol/Conventional and Bioprotection/sulfites will then be compared by tasting and also by metabolomic and volatilomic analyses in order to study matrix changes and to identify putative biomarkers of each of these two bioprocesses.