REDWINE project: use of Chlorella vulgaris to prevent biotic and abiotic stress in Palmela’s region, Portugal, vineyards

The sensory definition of the aging bouquet of red Bordeaux wines has been shown to be structured around seven main aromatic nuances: “undergrowth”, “spicy” “truffle”, “fresh red- and black-berry fruits”, “liquorice”, “mint”, and “toasted” (1). Some of these descriptors are also used to describe the aromatic notes of old Champagnes (2) suggesting common volatile compounds between these two types of wine.

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.

AIM: Vitis vinifera L. cv. Moscato includes different varieties, mainly white grapes with a medium-sized berry, spheroidal or slightly flattened in shape, yellow greenish color which becomes golden yellow or amber when exposed to the sun. Moscato varieties are mainly used for the production of sweet aromatic wines

The wine industry is increasingly exposed to the combined effects of climate change, resource scarcity, and rising consumer expectations regarding environmental responsibility.

Wine color is one of the main organoleptic characteristics influencing its quality. It is of especial interest in red vinifications due to the economic resources that wineries have to invest for the extraction of the phenolic compounds responsible of wine color, compounds that are mainly located inside the skin cell vacuoles. Moreover, these phenolic compounds not only influence color but also other organoleptic properties such as body, mouthfeel, astringency and flavour. The transference of phenolic compounds from grapes to must during vinification is closely related with the type of grapes and the winemaking technique.