Effects of stress memory on grapevine resilience in response to recurrent drought and recovery events 

Aims: The objective of the present work is to review strategies applied to decrypt multidimensional and ill-defined concepts employed by winemakers and to illustrate these strategies with recent applications.

Les effets de l’état hydrique et de l’alimentation en azote sur le potentiel aromatique des raisins de Sauvignon blanc ont été mesurés sur des vignobles du Bordelais. Les déficits hydriques ont été caractérisés par le potentiel tige déterminé en milieu de journée ΨTmin)­. L’alimentation en azote a été étudiée à partir d’une zone carencée en azote. Une part de cette zone a été supplémentée avec de l’azote minéral.

Background: Polyphenols extracted from skins and seeds showed different sensory attributes including astringency and bitterness. In previous studies, it has been demonstrated that extracts obtained either from skins or seeds interact differently with salivary proteins.

The frequency of bushfires close to wine regions around the world has increased in the last two decades. The economic losses incurred when grapes and wines are discarded due to ‘smoke taint’ are substantial (i.e., hundreds of millions of dollars). Efforts to mitigate and ameliorate smoke taint are therefore crucial. Chardonnay, rosé and cabernet sauvignon wines made from grapes exposed to smoke during the 2020 wildfires in eastern Australia were subjected to various amelioration techniques: the addition of activated carbons, molecularly imprinted polymers (mips), and a proprietary resin (either directly, or following membrane filtration); spinning cone column (scc) distillation; and finally, transformation into vinegar.

Grapevine leaves are known to contain different polyphenols such as flavonols, catechins and stilbenes, which are known to act as main contributors for plant defense against pathogens (1). While the composition for some major cultivars has been studied, there is lack of systematic comparison about the content of these compounds in the wide ecodiversity of Vitis vinifera cv. Recent advances in Mass Spectrometry-based Metabolomics allow a wider and more sensitive description of these polyphenols, as instance of those present in leaves (2). Such information could help to better explain leaf traits regarding the development of the leaf or to the plant tolerance to a pathogen. Moreover, these compounds offer appealing applications for human health due to their antioxidant activities.