Dormancy conundrum: thermal requirements plasticity to reach budburst may be explained by annual environmental dynamics

Proton relaxation in model and real wines was investigated by fast field cycling NMR relaxometry. Albeit protons of wine are largely belonging to water molecules, their magnetic relaxation rates actually depend on various physico-chemical parameters related to the state of the wine and to its composition.

Current environmental, ecological and economic issues require a better vineyard production management. In fact, a poor use of fertilizing could lead to harmful impact on environment. Another issue concerns the cultures themselves which couldn’t use fertilizers efficiently, leading to a loss of income or too much expense for farmers. Presently, estimation of fertilization’s needs is realized by the laboratory analysis of leaves selected through a random sampling. The present study aims at optimizing fertilization’s management by using a map of biophysical parameters estimated from satellite images.

Global changes in temperature patterns necessitate the development of viticultural adaptation strategies. One promising approach involves modifying the training system and elevating trunk height. This study explored the potential of raising the vine trunk as an adaptive strategy to counteract the effects of increasing temperatures and delay ripening. Thermal conditions, radiation levels, and must composition were measured at different heights (10 and 150 cm) in a commercial vineyard of the minority variety Maturana Blanca, trained on a vertical cordon.

Measuring the effect of oxygen consumption on the colour of wines as the level of dissolved oxygen decreases over time is very useful to know how much oxygen a wine is able to consume without significantly altering its colour. The changes produced in wine after being exposed to high oxygen concen-trations have been studied by different authors, but in all cases the wine has been analysed once the oxygen consumption process has been completed. This work presents the results obtained with the use of an equipment designed and made to measure simultaneously the level of dissolved oxygen and the spectrum of the wine, during the oxygen consumption process from saturation levels with air to very low levels, which indicate the total consumption of the dosed oxygen.

The traditional methods of grape extraction of enochemical compounds use very often mechanical energy by pistons such as the pigeage or mechanical energy produced by must (delestage, pumping over). Recent trend by winemaker is trying to introduce in the fermentation tank, whole berry grape to avoid even minimal oxidation. Unfortunately, the use of the traditional mechanical techniques aforementioned, very often do not guarantee the optimal extraction with residual sugars in the marc. Use of resonance waves (airmixingtm) and a slight overpressure by CO2 (adcftm) permit to work on whole berry guaranteeing the perfect extraction.