Hyperspectral imaging and machine learning for monitoring grapevine physiology

Xinomavro is a red grape variety from Northern Greece (Protected Designation of Origin), known for the nice acidities, perfectly appropriate for sparkling wine production (Rosé and Blanc de Noir). The elabo- ration of sparkling wine requires technical as well as scientific skills. Although the impact of the yeast strains and their metabolites on the final product quality is well documented, the action of bacteria still remains unknown.
The present work focuses (i) on the population diversity of lactic acid bacteria isolated from sparkling wines and (ii) on the technological effect of the species during sparkling wine elaboration.

Climate change is having a significant impact on the wine industry through more regular drought conditions, fires, and heat events, leading to crop loss. Furthermore, these events can reduce overall quality of the fruit, even when crop yields are not impacted. Anthocyanins are considered one of the most important classes of compounds for red wine production and are known to be sensitive to vine water status and heat events.

The sustainability of viticulture hinges on maintaining quality and yield while reducing pesticide use. Promising strides in this direction involve the development of clones with enhanced disease tolerance, particularly through the knockout of plant susceptibility genes. Knocking out of Downy Mildew Resistant 6 (DMR6) led to increased levels of endogenous salicylic acid (SA), a regulator of immunity, resulting in enhanced tolerance to Downy Mildew (DM) and other diseases in various crops.

The geology of a region is deemed to be an important component of terroir, as it influences the shape of the landscape and the climate of vineyard. The nature of rock and the geomorphological history of a terroir affect soil physical and chemical composition through a dynamic interplay with the changes of climate, vegetation and other living organisms, as well as with man activities.

Traceability of wine is today a consumer demand and a scientific challenge. The methods of analysis must be able to control three fundamental parameters: the geographical origin, the grape varieties, and the vintage.