Development and validation of a free solvent UHPLC/MS-MS method to analyse melatonin and its precursors in Spanish commercial wines  

The wine industry produces an enormous amount of waste every year. A wider inclusion of disregarded by-products in the human diet or its use as a source of bioactive compounds is a good strategy for reducing waste. It will not only introduce an added value to a waste product but also come upon the European Union and United Nations’ demands towards more sustainable agricultural approaches and circular economy.

The study conducted various fermentations of different grape juices using various strains of Lachancea thermotolerans and one strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Because of the new conditions caused by climate change, wine acidity must be influenced as well as the volatile profile. Non-Saccharomyces yeasts such as L. thermotolerans are real options to mitigate the impact of climate change in wine production.

Brettanomyces is a world-renowned yeast that negatively impacts the chemical composition of wines through the production of metabolites that negatively impact the sensory properties of the final product. Its resilience in wine conditions and ability to produce off-flavors make it a challenge for winemakers. Currently, the primary control technique involves adding sulfur dioxide (SO2); however, some Brettanomyces strains are developing resistance to this preservative agent. [1] Therefore, new management strategies are necessary to control this spoilage yeast.

The projected rise in mean air temperatures together with the frequency, intensity, and length of heat waves in many wine-growing regions worldwide will deeply impact grape berry development and quality. Several studies have been conducted and a large set of molecular data was produced to better understand the impact of high temperatures on grape berry development and metabolism[1]. According to these data, it is highly likely that the metabolomic dynamics could be strongly modulated by heat stress (HS).

The arrangements of flowers and wine counterparts are inextricably linked. Whether a fundamental aspect of tablescaping or acolytes to broader entertainment rituals, they have an entangled history since ancient times. The aim of this contribution is to verify the influence of visually delicate and robust flower arrangements on individual description of wines. Changes in the sensory description of wines were investigated during subjects’ (thirty-two participants) exposure to three different conditions: the presence of delicate, robust, or totally absent flower arrangements. In each condition, the same two wines were blind tasted: a wine previously defined as delicate – a Pinot Noir from Australia, and a wine known for its robust character – a Tannat from Uruguay.