Characterization of bunch compactness and identification of associated genes in a diverse collection of cultivars of Vitis vinifera L.

La délimitation et la caractérisation des zones viticoles posent en Espagne des problèmes spécifiques non seulement dus aux caractéristiques propres au territoire mais aussi à la dimension, la distribution et l’indice d’occupation viticole dans les appellations d’origine.

Ellagitannins are the main oak wood phenolic compounds that contribute to wine and spirits organoleptic quality (color, astringency, bitterness)(1-3). Given the lack of knowledge regarding their composition and evolution in spirits, the objectives were to follow their extraction kinetic in Cognac “eaux-de-vie” matured in barrel representing different toasting and to observe their evolution and structural modifications during aging. METHODS: Eight different toasting levels were used for studying the impact of the toasting on ellagitannins composition. Two verticals (1978-2018) of “eaux-de-vie” samples coming from two terroirs were analyzed in order to observe ellagitannins evolution during aging. The above analyses were conducted using HPLC-Triple Quadrupole mass spectrometer (4) and the unknown compounds were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF, purified by preparative HPLC prior to 1D/2D-NMR analysis.

Elemental sulfur is commonly used in vineyards as a fungicide to prevent diseases and protect grapevines.1 The challenges of climate change are intensifying disease pressure, further increasing the reliance on sulfur use. Understanding the range of potential impacts of residual sulfur during the winemaking process is becoming increasingly important.

The two most deadly viruses infecting and threatening the productivity of grapevines worldwide are leafroll and red blotch viruses. There is no cure for viral diseases other than roguing the symptomatic vines and replacing them with certified vines derived from clean, virus-tested stocks.
Given that phloem plays a central role in virus infection, this study aimed to purge the virus by girdling the phloem of leafroll-infected vines at different phenological stages of infected grapevines. Phloem-girdling was performed on canes at veraison to varying regions between the proximal and distal clusters.

The acquisition of wine expertise is a multi-faceted and multisensory process with implications for sensory perception, attention, memory, and language production. With the prevalence of the predictive model of brain functioning, one area of burgeoning research interest involves wine mental imagery, since the brain relies on imagined experiences to build predictions for the future. Recent evidence has shown that, for instance, those with higher imagery vividness are more susceptible to wine advertising. However, little is known about the association between mental imagery and other associated cognitive processes, such as the ability to produce words that describe such imagery.