«Promitheus» the new greek red wine grape arromatic variety

The spotted lanternfly (SLF; Lycorma delicatula) is a phloem-feeding polyphagous insect invasive to the Eastern U.S.. Since its first detection in Pennsylvania (U.S.) in 2014, large infestations and economic damage (e.g., decreased yield, vine decline, greater pesticide use) have been reported in an increasing number of vineyards, threatening the sustainability and growth of the wine industry in infested regions. Our team has been investigating the impacts of SLF phloem-feeding on physiological processes, fruit production, juice, and wine composition of different grape cultivars, and also evaluated if the SLF can transmit important grapevine pathogens. In addition, we are working closely with stakeholders to better enumerate the economic damage caused by this pest. These findings will provide relevant information to grape and wine producers to help identify action thresholds and develop a more targeted integrated pest management program.

Oxidative stability is a critical factor in wine shelf-life. SO₂ is commonly added to wine due to its strong antioxidant activity, although there is a general push to reduce SO₂ use in vinification.

The Tokaj Kereskedőház Ltd. is the only state owned winery in Hungary. The company is integrating grapes for wine production from 1100 hectares of vineyard, which consist of 3500 parcels with average size of 0,3 hectares, owned by about 500 families of the region. The vineyards are unevenly spread in total 27 village of Tokaj region.

Water is one of the most limiting factors for viticulture in Mediterranean regions. Former researches showed that water shortage hampers both vegetative and reproductive developments. INRA is running programs to breed varieties carrying QTL of tolerance to major fungi, i.e. powdery and downy mildews. Some varieties have been already certified or are close to be certified. However, little is known about the response of these varieties to water deficit, which behavior is critical for their development. This study characterized physiological responses of 4 new varieties to water deficit and described relationship between them.

Insufficient acidity in grapes from warm climates/vintages is commonly corrected through addition of tartaric acid during vinification, and less so with other organic acids. An alternative approach involves bio-acidification with the yeast Lachancea thermotolerans (LT) via lactic acid production during fermentation.