A generic method to analyze vine water deficit continuously

During red wine fermentation, the extraction of phenolics compounds and sufficient oxygen provision are critical for wine quality [1,2]. In this trial, we aimed at evaluating the kinetics of phenolic extraction and dissolved oxygen during red wine fermentations using the airmixing system. Twenty lots of red grape musts were fermented in 300.000 L tanks, equipped with airmixing, using two injection regimes (i.e., high and low intensity, and high and low daily frequency). An oxygen analyzer was introduced into the tanks in order to record the concentration of dissolved oxygen over time.

Grapevine cultivars can be unequivocally typed by both physical differences (ampelography) and genetic tests. However due to their very similar characteristics, the identification of clones within a cultivar relies on the accurate tracing of supply records to the point of origin. Such records are not always available or reliable, particularly for older accessions. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) provides the most highly detailed methodology for defining grapevine cultivars and more importantly, this can be extended to differentiating clones within those cultivars.

The study of new wine grape cultivars can be interesting to diversify the local wine productions without using international varieties. With this aim some Vitis vinifera intraspecific crosses obtained by Prof. Dalmasso in the 1930s and registered in the Italian National Catalogue in 1977, have been studied in the last years.

Tropical fruit aromas in wines are thought to be important to wine consumers, although there is little research to confirm this statement. With so many wine styles available, it has become important to understand the qualities that are desirable to consumers and how to achieve those qualities. Thiols and esters are compounds that have been found to cause tropical fruit aromas in chardonnay (ref). Fermentation temperature gradients and skin contact were found to increase these compounds using micro scale fermentations. This work aimed to scale up these fermentations/operations to determine if the desired tropical fruit aromas could still be achieved and if there is a perceivable difference in tropical fruit aromas, liking, and emotional response in the wines at the consumer level.

The State Rio Grande do Sul is the main producer of Brazilian fine wines, with four viticultural regions. The objective is the characterization of the viticultural climatic potential of the State (total surface of 281.749 km2). The methodology use the Géoviticulture Multicriteria Climatic Classification System (Géoviticulture MCC System), based on three climatic indices – Dryness Index (DI), Heliotermal Index (HI) and Cool Night Index (CI).