New biotechnological approaches for a comprehensive characterization of AGL11 and its molecular mechanism underlying seedlessness trait in table grape

Mouthfeel is an important quality parameter for Chardonnay wines, particularly those aged in oak. While research on mouthfeel has traditionally focused on the impact of non-aromatic compounds, the role of aroma compounds has largely been over looked. However, in wine as well as other food interactions between retronasal aroma and mouthfeel have been noted. The goal of this research was to investigate the impact of wine aroma on the perception of mouthfeel. Because of the importance of oak aging in the development of Chardonnay mouthfeel, the impact of oak aromas on perceived mouthfeel was explored. Aroma compounds associated with oak (ethyl palmitate, eugenol, furfural, isoeugenol, syringaldehyde, vanillin and whiskey lactone) were added to two different Chardonnay wines; one with no oak influence and one fermented in neutral oak. Low and high concentrations of the compounds were added based on concentrations typically found in barrel aged Chardonnay wine.

There are claims that wine grape cultivars are either isohydric or anisohydric; the former maintaining, and the latter decreasing, their plant water status as soil moisture declines. However, available information is inconsistent. There are those that show an existence of a continuum in cultivar response to soil moisture rather than a distinct categorization. Others even show both behaviors in the same cultivar grown in different environments. In this study we investigated the behavior of 30 own rooted Vitis vinifera cultivars during successive drydown and rewatering cycles over two growing seasons in arid eastern Washington (<200 mm annual precipitation).

Egri Bikavér (Bull’s Blood) is one of the most remarkable Hungarian red wines on inland and foreign markets as well. From the end of the 70’s the quality of Egri Bikavér was decreasing continually due to mass production. The concept of production of quality wines became general in the mid 90’s again and it resulted in a new Origin Control System, for the first time that of Egri Bikavér in Hungary.

The choice of sites for viticulture depends on natural environmental factors, particularly climate, as grapevines have specific climatic requirements for optimum physiological performance and berry quality achievement. In the Stellenbosch wine-producing region, the complex topography and the proximity of the ocean create a variety of topoclimates resulting in different growth conditions for vines within short distances.

The impact of viticulture on soil can be determined by comparing the biophysical properties that represent soil health at a particular site and depth with those same properties in soil considered to represent the ‘pre-vineyard’ state (the headland). Information gathered by this method shows the changes in soil properties following the change to viticulture depend on individual vineyard management and environment.