Using nanopore skim-sequencing to characterise regional epigenetic variability in New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

These days, consumers are interested in food products linked to the environment and the concept of naturalness. They prefer “free” products, such as those with no pesticide residues or no added sulfur dioxide (so2) in wines. In fact, so2 is the most widely used preservative in winemaking, as it has multiple properties at low cost: it is antioxidant, antioxidasic and antimicrobial.

In the Bordeaux vineyards, press wine represents approximately 15% of the total volume of wine produced[1]. Valuing this large volume of wine is necessary from an economic point of view, but also because of their organoleptic contribution to the blend, and their contribution to the construction of wines for laying down. Therefore, this study was developed considering the lack of recent scientific knowledge on the composition of red press wines. The aim of this study is to establish an initial assessment of their chemical composition including aromatic compounds and a phenolic part.

In recent years there has been a growth in interest and number of research studies regarding the application of remote optical and thermal sensing by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in agriculture and viticulture. Many papers report on the use of images to map or estimate the growth and water status of plants, or the heterogeneity of different parcels. Most often, NDVI or other similar indices are used.

In red wines the post-MLF SO2 addition is an essential event. It is also the case for the “mutage” during the elaboration of the “liquoreux”. At these moments SO2 plays an antimicrobial action and an antioxidant effect. But at current pH of wines, ensuring a powerful molecular SO2 has become very difficult. Recent work on Brettanomyces strains have also shown that some strains are resistant up to 1.2 mg / L of molecular SO2. It’s also the case of the some Saccharomuces or Zygosaccharomyces strains suitable to re-ferment “liquoreux” wines after the “mutage”.

Seedless table grapes are greatly appreciated for fresh and dry consumption. There is also some interest in seedless winegrapes, because the combination of lower fruit set, smaller berries with higher skin/pulp ratio and looser bunches with the absence of seeds in crushed berries, a possible source of astringent tannins, might also have favorable effects on wine quality.
The gene VviAGL11 has been shown to play a central role in stenospermocarpy in Sultanina, but the molecular bases of other sources of stenospermocarpy as well as of parthenocarpy have not been clarified yet.