Moderate wine consumption – part of a balanced diet or a health risk?

Light is responsible for adverse reactions in wine including the formation of unpleasant flavors, loss of vitamins or photodegradation of anthocyanins. Among them, the riboflavin degradation leads to the formation of undesirable volatile compounds, known as light-struck taste. These photo-chemical reactions could be avoided by simply using opaque packaging. However, most rosé wines are kept in transparent bottles due to different commercial reasons. Some agri-food waste extracts have been studied for their photoprotective action which turn to be highly correlated with phenolic content [1].

Plant diseases are a major obstacle to crop production. The main approaches to battle plant diseases, consist of synthetic chemicals to attack infecting pathogens. However, concerns are increasing about the effects of chemicals in the environment, leading to an increase in the use of biocontrol agents (BCAs), due to their assets, such as, antagonism, and competition. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the introduction of Bacillus subtilis PTA-271 (Bs PTA-271) and Trichoderma atroviride SC1 (Ta SC1) produce distinctive modifications in the composition and network structure of the grapevine rhizosphere microbial community, as well as grapevine induced defenses.

In the production of sparkling wines, during the second fermentation, mannoproteins are released by yeast autolysis, which affect the quality of the wines. The effect of mannoproteins has been extensively studied, and may affect aroma and foam quality. However, there are no studies on the effect of other polysaccharides such as those from grapes. Considering the large production of waste from the wine industry, it was proposed to obtain polysaccharide-rich extracts from some of these by-products[1].

The European wine industry is facing multiple challenges derived from climate change and the pressure of different fungal diseases that are compromising the production of traditional varieties. A sustainable alternative maybe the adoption of resistant varieties.
In this study, we have evaluated the enological potential of 9 resistant varieties (5 white and 4 red varieties) in La Rioja. Microvinifications were carried out with three biological replications. Oenological parameters were very diverse with acid content varying from 2.6 g/L to 6.6 g/L.

Climate change is expected to provoke an increase in the frequency and intensity of drought events and water scarcity that will have detrimental effects on photosynthesis and plant yield. To sustain an appropriate plant yield under sub-optimal conditions, a common practice is the application of high amounts of fertilizers with negative environmental consequences. The present study aims at evaluating the interplay between water and nutrient availability, namely nitrogen (N) and potassium (K), in two grapevine cultivars with a different sensitivity to water shortage stress. Two-year-old Vitis Vinifera cv. Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache grapevine plants grafted on SO4 rootstock have been transferred in pots under semi-environmental conditions.