Exploring the factors affecting spatio‐temporal variation in grapevine powdery mildew

Vine water status was measured on 96 plots of three vines inside a vineyard block of 0.28 ha during three years: 2003, 2004 and 2005. Three physiological indicators were implemented: stem water potential, carbon isotope discrimination measured on grape sugars at ripeness (δ13C) and canopy temperature measured by high resolution remote sensing. For stem water potential, measurements were taken on every single vine of each plot.

The use of non-Saccharomyces yeast species for the improvement of wine technological and oenological properties is a topic that has gained much interest in recent years [1]. Their application as co-starter cultures sequential to the inoculation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in aging on the lees has been shown to improve aspects such as protein stability and mouthfeel [2].

AIM:Valpolicella is a wine region located in Italy north-east, famous for the production of dry and sweet red wines from withered grapes, including Amarone and Recioto. The aim of this study is to understand the influence of the withering process on Corvina and Corvinone wines aroma profiles. METHODS:Wines were produced with a standard red wine winemaking protocol with Corvina and Corvinone grapes from different Valpolicella vineyards and vintages. In consideration of the local traditional practice of post-harvest withering of the grapes, wines from each vineyard were obtained from either fresh and withered grapes. Wines were analysed by Solid Phase Extraction and Solid Phase Micro Extraction gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry.

The challenges of the century for viticulture relate to coping with climate change and the loss of biodiversity in a downturning socio-economic context. Now more than ever, the vine and wine industry needs to be resilient to maintain and ensure a future for its heritage. An innovation of capital importance, in line with recently published research, deals with developing new methods of training our inherited and newly planted vineyards to better withstand environmental variations such as drought and heatwaves but also unevenly distributed rains and temperatures.

In recent years, Uruguay has embraced the Albariño grape variety (Vitis vinifera L.) as one of the most promising for commercial growth. Originally cultivated in Galicia and northern Portugal, Albariño has risen to prominence in the global wine market, driving strong demand and significantly increasing grape prices [1].