Altered lignans accumulation in a somatic variant of Tempranillo with increased extractability of polyphenols during winemaking

SO2 is an additive widely used as antimicrobial in winemaking industry. However, this compound can negatively affect health, so the search for alternatives is currently a line of research of great interest. One of the proposed alternatives to SO2 as an antimicrobial is the use of bioprotection yeasts, which colonize the medium preventing the proliferation of undesirable microorganisms.

The European Landscape Convention (ELC, 2001) defined the landscape as the “part of a
territory as perceived by the population and resulting from the action of natural and/or human factors and their interrelationships”. Wine landscapes, protected or not under figures such as cultural landscapes or Cultural heritage, are a clear demonstration of this definition, denoting the interrelationships of the natural
environment and the action of the human, which modulates the territory to give the different wine
landscapes. This work was focused on the study of the effect of the human factors linked to the cultivation of the vine on the modification of the landscape.

A natural glycolipid mixture obtained from the edible mushroom dacryopinax spathularia (“glycolipids”) is known to be an effective and approved antimicrobial treatment in non-alcoholic beverages at concentrations ranging from 5 – 100 mg/l. It has found a place alongside DMDC for the provision of microbial stability in soft drinks. These properties make the natural and sustainably produced glycolipids a promising candidate for the supplementation or replacement of SO2 in different winemaking processes.

Water is one of the most limiting factors for viticulture in Mediterranean regions. Former researches showed that water shortage hampers both vegetative and reproductive developments. INRA is running programs to breed varieties carrying QTL of tolerance to major fungi, i.e. powdery and downy mildews. Some varieties have been already certified or are close to be certified. However, little is known about the response of these varieties to water deficit, which behavior is critical for their development. This study characterized physiological responses of 4 new varieties to water deficit and described relationship between them.

Catechins, a class of flavonoids found in foods and beverages such as wine and tea, exhibit potent antioxidant properties that contribute to various health benefits.[1]