Evidence of successful wine business strategies: customer acquisition, value or retention?

Traditionally, non-saccharomyces yeasts were deemed undesirable in winemaking, for this reason, it is a common practice to add sulphites to prevent their proliferation during the initial stages of vinification. However, the current research on yeast diversity has unveiled numerous non-saccharomyces strains possessing advantageous traits that enrich the sensory profile of wines. The genus hanseniaspora is often associated with wine fermentation and is also commonly found on grapes.

The increase in temperature caused by climate change produces an earlier budbreak date that affects the vineyard, which generates a greater risk of damage by spring frosts.

Consumers’ demand for non-alcoholic wine has notably increased in the last years: this trend is a consequence of a growing interest in more healthy habits, and as a response to higher alcohol levels in wine due to climate change. In addition, drinking limitations due to physiological/pathological conditions (e.g., pregnancy, diabetes, hepatic disorders), driving regulations, ethical/religious considerations, and high import taxes on alcoholic beverages have positively influenced this marked (us$ 1.6 billion in 2021). International organisation of vine and wine (OIV) established that alcohol content defining wines must not be less than 8.5% vol, (OIV, 2017).

From Porto and then through Bordeaux, Champagne and Bourgogne, wine geographical indications (gi) were the driving models for this form of protection of distinctive signs for collective use. Many studies present the benefits of recognizing a gi for a given region, the challenges of its implementation, as well as the possibilities of promoting territorial development.

Can we cultivate grapevine without pesticides? This is a huge challenge for this emblematic crop, which is one of the largest users of plant protection products. Pesticides are mainly used to protect the vine against leaf diseases (powdery mildew, mildew, black-rot), even in organic farming, which uses copper in particular. What are the research avenues that can help eliminate pesticides today?