Genome wide association mapping of phenology related traits in Vitis vinifera L

Condensed tannins (also called proanthocyanidins) are a widely distributed throughout in plants kingdom and are one of the most important classes of secondary metabolites, in addition, they are part of the human diet. In wine, they are extracted during the winemaking process from grape skins and seeds. These compounds play an important role in red wine organoleptic characteristics such as color, bitterness and astringency. Condensed tannins in red wine are oligomers and polymers of flavan-3-ols unit such as catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin and epicatechin-3-O-gallate. The monomeric units can be linked among them with direct interflavanoid linkage or mediated by aldehydes.

Among viticultural practices, Herbicide application and tillage are known to be some of the main threat for the soil biodiversity.

Despite their significant impact on wine quality and stability, colloids in red wine remain relatively under-researched. A series of studies, developed in the context of the d-wines project, aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the structure, composition, and formation mechanisms of red wine colloids by studying monovarietal wines from 10 of the most significant Italian red grape varieties. Starting from the idea that proteins, polysaccharides, and tannins should be involved in colloid formation, 110 monovarietal red wines were analysed for these components, revealing high inter- and intra-varietal diversity [1].

The experience gained by us in the 70s on perfume of vine flowers together with the methodology of the “Great Chain MetaEthics 4.1C” led us to research on the topic in which particular attention was paid, to genotype choice of the consumer, but also to the innovative phenotype.

This paper analyses how terroir-driven wine producers in Portugal’s Douro Valley address current and emerging sustainability challenges while preserving cultural authenticity and the unique identity of their wines.