Fertilization with Seaweed (Laminaria japonica) on the characteristics of the bunch and the quality of the grape must of ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’

The quality of any alcoholic beverage depends on many parameters, such as cultivars, harvesting time, fermentation, distillation technology used, quality and type of wooden barrels (in case of matured drinks), etc.; however, the most important factor in their classification is content of volatile compounds.

Lugana Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) wines are made from Turbiana grapes. The aroma of Lugana wines results from the combined contribution of esters, terpenes, norisprenoids, sulfur compounds and the benzenoid methyl salicylate. This study aims to investigate how volatile aroma compounds are affected by different nitrogen supplies and yeast strains.

In the face of climate change, new grapevine varieties will have to show an adaptive phenotypic plasticity to maintain production with erratic water resources, and still ensure the quality of the final product. Their selection requires a better knowledge of the genetic basis of those traits and of the elementary processes involved in their variability. ‘PlastiVigne’, an emblematic project of the Vinid’Occ key challenge, funded by the Occitanie Region (France), tackles this issue with innovative genomic and physiological tools implemented on a unique panel of grape genetic resources representing the genetic diversity of Vitis vinifera. A graph-pangenome is developed from a representative set of high-quality genomes to study the extent and impact of structural genome variations and chromosomal rearrangements in the rapid adaptation capacity of grapevine.

Mannoproteins (MPs) are released from the yeast cell wall during alcoholic fermentation and aging on the lees, and influence aspects of wine quality such as haze formation and colour stability. Yet, as this is a slow process with microbiological and sensory risks, the exogenous addition of extracted MPs poses an efficient alternative. While Saccharomyces cerevisiae has long been studied as a prominent source for MPs extraction, their structure and composition greatly differ between yeast species. This may influence their behaviour in the wine matrix and subsequent impact on wine properties. However, although wine yeast species other than S. cerevisiae possibly present an untapped source of MPs, they are still ill-characterised in terms of chemical composition and influence on wine.

Context and purpose of the study – The dormant and growing season temperatures in California USA have been increasing with more clear sky days. A consequence increasing temperatures and clear sky days is water deficit conditions. Viticulturists must determine appropriate balances of canopy management and irrigation budgeting to produce suitable yields without compromising berry chemistry. In response, a study designed to test the interactive effects of leaf removal timing and applied water amounts on Cabernet Sauvignon/110R in Napa Valley, CA.