Phenological stage dependency of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache response to water and nutrient limitation 

Fermentation derived sulfidic off-odors due to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and low molecular weight thiols are commonly encountered in wine production and removed by Cu(II) fining. However, the mechanism underlying Cu(II) fining remains poorly understood, and generally results in increased Cu concentration that lead to deleterious reactions in finished wine. The present study describes a mechanistic investigation of the iron and copper mediated reaction of H2S, cysteine, 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol, and 6-sulfanylhexan-1-ol with oxygen. The concentrations of H2S, thiols, oxygen, and acetaldehyde were monitored over time. It was found that Cu(II) was rapidly reduced by both H2S and thiols to Cu(I).

Plant-parasitic nematodes are cosmopolitan pests of wine grapes with yield losses worldwide estimated at approximately 5 to 8%. Managing plant-parasitic nematodes in wine grapes is challenging due to limited availability of effective nematicides and rootstocks with simultaneous resistance to multiple nematode species.

Studying disease resistance loci in grapevines (Vitis) is a complex process because resistance QTL often coincide with highly-repetitive NLR gene clusters that are difficult to analysis bioinformatically, requiring extra time and attention to fully characterize.

In the context of climate change, the increasing frequency and intensity of hot and dry vintages lead to profound modifications in the physiological functioning of the vine and the composition of the grapes.

This study investigates how the sensory profile of Pinot Blanc is affected from different maceration and pressing techniques. Grapes were sourced from four vineyards in the village Tramin in South Tyrol. For the experiment 200 kg of grapes from each vineyard site were hand picked the day before harvest for the commercial winery took place. Grapes were stored over night at 4°C, homogenized and processed in the experimental winery at Laimburg research centre the day after harvest. Four different pressing techniques were applied in duplicates of 100kg each.