Red wine astringency: evolution of tribological parameters during different harvest dates

Sulphur dioxide has been used for many years for its antimicrobial, antioxidant and antioxydasic properties in winemaking but nowadays, it is a source of controversy. Indeed, consumers are more attentive to the naturalness of their foods and beverages and the legislation is changing to reduce the total SO₂ levels allowed in wines. To limit and replace the doses of sulphur dioxide applied, winemakers can now use bioprotection consisting in live yeast addition as alternative,seems to be promising. This process, lightly used in from the food industry, allows to colonize the environment and limit the development or even eliminate undesirable microorganisms without altering the sensory properties of the product.

Quercetin precipitation has become an increasingly common issue in red wine, often resulting in visually unpleasant sediments and diminished product quality.

Cover crops in vineyards have been extensively studied, as the choice of grass species and their management significantly influence soil properties and vine performance.

A Syrah/R99 vineyard in the Stellenbosch area was used. The vineyard is vertically trained and spaced 2.75 x 1.5 m in north-south orientated rows on terroir with Glenrosa soil and west-facing slope. Irrigation (to 100% field water capacity) treatments were applied at different development stages [all stages (including berry set stage); pea size; véraison; post-véraison]. Combined effects of water status and ripeness level were investigated. Preliminary results are presented.

Wine longevity is a complex multifactor phenomenon in which the weight of the different factors is not well known. One of the key factors of wine longevity is related to its resistance to oxidation. This property can be defined as the ability of the wine, under an exposure to oxygen, to keep its color, avoid accumulation of acetaldehyde and Strecker aldehydes (SA), and keep as long as