Organic mulches improve vine vigour, yield and physiological response in a semi-arid region

Galloylated flavan-3-ols are a class of polyphenolic compounds present in various plants, including grape seeds. These compounds are formed through the condensation of flavan-3-ols, such as catechins, although the precise mechanism by which gallic acid is incorporated into the molecule remains unclear.

The reproducibility of elemental profile in wines produced across multiple vintages has been previously reported using grapes from a single scion clone of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Pinot noir. The grapevines were grown on fourteen different vineyard sites, from Oregon to southern California in the U.S.A., which span distances from approximately hundreds of meters to 1450 km, while elevations range from near sea level to nearly 500 m. In addition, sensorial (i.e. aroma, taste, and mouthfeel) and chemical (i.e. polyphenolic and volatile) differences across the different vineyard sites have also been observed among these wines at two aging time points. While strong evidence exists to support that grapes grown in different regions can produce wines with unique chemical and sensorial profiles, even when a single clone is used, the understanding of growing site characteristics that result in this reproducible differentiation continues to emerge. One hypothesis is that the elemental profile that a vineyard site imparts to the grape berries and the resulting wine is an important contributor to this differentiation in chemistry and sensory of wines. For example, various classes of enzymes that catalyze the formation of key aroma compounds or their precursors require specific metals. In this work, we begin to report correlations between elemental and volatile aroma profiles of site-specific Pinot noir wines, made under standardized winemaking conditions, that have been previously shown to be distinguished separately by these chemical analyses.

In sparkling winemaking several yeasts can be used to perform the primary alcoholic fermentation that leads to the elaboration of the base wine. However, only a few Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains are regularly used for the secondary in-bottle alcoholic fermentation 1. Recently, advances in yeast development programs have resulted in new breeds of interspecific wine yeast hybrids that ferment efficiently while producing novel flavours and aromas 2. In this work, sparkling wines produced using interspecific yeast hybrids for the secondary in-bottle alcoholic fermentation have been chemically and sensorially characterized.METHODS: Three commercial English base wines have been prepared for secondary in-bottle alcoholic fermentation with different yeast strains, including two commercial and several novel interspecific hybrids derived from Saccharomyces species not traditionally used in sparkling winemaking. After 12 months of lees ageing, the 14 wines produced were analysed for their chemical and macromolecular composition 3,4, phenolic profile 5, foaming and viscosity properties [6]. The analytical data were supplemented with a sensory analysis.

In modern viticulture, sustainability must be considered not only into the winery, but in the vineyard as well, being that with the most attentive interventions in order to protect the environment. In this context, the new “fungi resistant” varieties represent a valid option for reducing the negative environmental impact of agrochemicals used in viticulture, including those ones used in organic farming (given the copper accumulation into soils). Several application studies have demonstrated the enological validity of many resistant varieties, both in price and as a blend. Also, under the production point of view, the feasibility and economical sustainability of the new resistant varieties was verified. The aim of this work was to deepen the knowledge on the organoleptic characteristics of wines obtained from the Fleurtai and Soreli varieties and to compare them with the wine obtained from Tocai Friulano, the mother variety in the area destined for the production of the Lison Classico DOCG appellation. The purpose of the work is then to verify the possibility of introducing resistant varieties into the DOCG while maintaining the wine name of the appellation linked to the territory.

The aim of the study was to study the volatile substances and ellagitannins released to wine by barrels of Quercus pyrenaica (Spanish Oak) in comparison with barrels of Quercus petraea (French Oak) and Quercus alba (American Oak) as well as to determine their sensory impact.