Discovering the process of noble rot: fungal ecology of grape berries during the noble rot transformation in different vineyards of the Tokaj wine region

The purpose of the present study was to understand the overall concept of an aged dry white wine using a descriptive mental questionnaire. A total of 680 worldwide participants, grouped according to their involvement in the wine business, replied to an online questionnaire to characterize the sensory analytical and synthetic descriptors of an aged dry white wine. The descriptors were selected using a Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) approach concerning wine colour, aroma, taste, mouthfeel, and global appreciation.

Sémillon is a cultivated grape variety known for contributing to dry and sweet white wine production. However, only seven approved clones have been officially recognized in France[1]. In this study, we aimed to characterize the genetic diversity and metabolomic profiles of a Sémillon clonal population, shedding light on the potential variations within this important grape variety.

Each grapevine variety has a specific water use regulation response under drought, and it is still unclear whether this regulation results from innate genotypic behavior (iso- and anisohydric), or is a response to environmental factors, namely recurrent water stress priming effects. In the present work, we explored the influence of the field-grown genotypes’ drought memory in the drought-response phenotype of their vegetative progenies, in Trincadeira (isohydric) and Castelão (anisohydric) varieties under a drought event followed by recovery in a glasshouse. Cuttings from both cultivars subjected to full irrigation (FI) and non-irrigation (NI) treatments for 5 consecutive years were used.

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.

Several studies have tried to develop different methods to study the photodegradation of wine in an accelerated way, trying to elucidate the effect of light on the wine compounds[1]. In a previous study, our team developed a chamber that speeds up the photodegradation of rosé wine[2]. In the present work we have tried to establish a correlation between irradiation times in accelerated conditions and the natural exposure to the cycles of light that usually exist in markets or at home.