VitExpress, an open interactive transcriptomic platform for grapevine

Proseccco is a famous italian Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) produced in two regions: Veneto e Friuli Venezia Giulia, however, the production is mainly concentrated in the province of Treviso. These territories are characterized by plains with some hilly areas and temperate climate. Its Production regulation provides a minimum utilization of 85% of Glera grapes, a local white grape variety, and up to a maximum of 15% of other local and international varieties. Prosecco second fermentation takes place, according to the Charmat method, in autoclaves.

Tannins are a heterogenous class of polymeric phenolics found in grapes, oak barrels and wine. In red wine tannins are primarily responsible for astringency, though they also have an important role in reacting with and stabilizing pigments. There are numerous sub-classes of tannins found in wine but they all share structural heterogeneity within each sub-class, with varied polymer composition, configuration and length.

Numerous methodologies exist for the quantification of tannins, however, protein precipitation using bovine serum albumin has proved itself useful due to its strong correlation to the sensory perception of astringency and the basic instruments required for the method. Though the method can yield valuable insights into tannin composition, it cannot be automated easily and necessitates well-trained personnel.

Sulphites are by far the most widely used additive in the wine industry. In relation to health, the interaction of sulphites with the gut microbiota has not been addressed so far. Following the consumption of wine and other sulphite-containing foods, the gastrointestinal tract and the microbiome are one of the first barriers that these compounds face in the human organism. In this study, we used a previously validated gastrointestinal digestion model (SIMGI®) [1,2] to evaluate the effect of intestinal digestion of wine sulphites on the gut microbiome.

Wine is a complex hydroalcoholic solution, with ethanol levels serving as a critical quality parameter.

For the chemical characterization of Aszu wines from Tokaj region our aim is to develop a biochemical method which is related to Botrytis cinerea.