Biotic interactions: case of grapevine cultivars – the fungal pathogen Neofusicoccum parvum – biocontrol agents 

Wine regions are getting warmer as average temperatures continue raising affecting grape growth, berry composition and wine production. Berry quality was evaluated in plants of Vitis vinifera cv Syrah grafted on two rootstocks, Paulsen (PL1103) and SO4, and grown under two salinity concentrations (LS:0.7dS/m and HS:2.5dSm-1) in combination with two irrigation regimes (HW:133% and CW:100%), being the seasonal water application 483mm (control, 100%). Spectrophotometer measurements from berry skin during veraison and harvest stages and from “young” wine samples, were indicative of the stressors effect and the mediation of the rootstocks. At veraison (i) total phenolics content were high under LSHW (0.7dSm-1 and high water conditions) for SO4 and PL1103.

Knowledge of the reflectance spectrum of grape leaves is important to the identification of grape varieties in images of viticultural regions where several cultivars co-exist.

In response to the growing demand for rapid, precise, and efficient methods of quantifying volatile compounds in alcoholic beverages, this study presents a novel approach for the determination of higher alcohols in wine, port wine, and brandy.

Wines differ from each other based on seven different factors: the type of grape; the bedrock geology and resulting soils; the climate; the soil hydrology; physiography of the site; the winemaker and the vineyard management techniques. The first five of these factors make up what the French call terroir, “the taste of the place”.

The habit of regular, moderate wine consumption, particularly with meals, is associated with protective effects from coronary heart disease. Epidemiological studies looking at myocardial protection/recovery focus mainly on the effects of red wine due to its high content in antioxidants, especially polyphenols. In several previous studies, conducted in our laboratory, we have concentrated on the effects of moderate consumption of white wine, by experimental animals (rats), gaining a significant experience in technical and procedural challenges. The scientific literature, and our past experience, suggests that rats are resilient towards consumption of full bodied, barrique red wines.