Spatial variability of grape berry maturation program at the molecular level 

In classic red wine-making process, grapes are usually destemmed between harvest and the filling of the vat. However, some winemakers choose to let all or a part of the stems in contact with the juice during vatting, this is called whole bunch vinification. For instance, this practice is traditionally used in some French wine regions, notably in Burgundy, Beaujolais and the Rhone Valley. The choice to keep this part of the grape is likely to affect the sensory properties of wine, as its gustatory perception1,2.

Long-term studies on grapevine phenology have clearly demonstrated that global warming is affecting phenological events, leading to an anticipation in their timing, and negatively impacting grape yield and berry quality. Therefore, dissecting the genetic determinants involved in the plant regulation of the phenological stages of budburst, flowering, veraison and ripening can improve our knowledge of the underlying mechanisms and support plant breeding programs and the advancement of vineyard management strategies.
We report here the results of a QTL mapping experiment conducted on three segregating populations obtained from the crossing of ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ and ‘Corvina’, ‘Corvina’ and the hybrid ‘Solaris’ and ‘Rhine Riesling’ and ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’.

The role of soils and bedrock geology has long been acknowledged as a fundamental component of terroir. In South Africa the influence of geology is misunderstood and some important geological components will be highlighted in this paper.

This study examines the growing season climates of selected wine regions worldwide that have significant areas under Pinot noir.

The objective of this study is to assess the potential for integrating sustainability guidelines into Geographical Indications of wine, especially in the case of the Denomination of Origin Campos de Cima da Serra (CCS), Brazil.