Aroma profile of Tempranillo tropical red wines from different seasons in the São Francisco valley, northeast of Brazil

The overall quality of aged wines is in part due to the development of complex aromas over a long period (1.) The apparition of this aromatic complexity depends on multiple chemical reactions that include the liberation of odorous compounds from non-odorous precursors. One example of this phenomenon is found in dimethyl sulphide (DMS) which, with its characteristic odor truffle, is a known contributor to the bouquet of premium aged wine bouquet (1). DMS supposedly accumulates during the ten first years of ageing thanks to the hydrolysis of its precursor dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSp.) DMSp is a possible secondary by-product from the degradation of S-methylmethionine (SMM), an amino acid iden- tified in grapes (2), which can be metabolized by yeast during alcoholic fermentation.

The production of organically grown crops developed exponentially in the last few decades based on consumer demands for healthy food

Le territoire de Suzette se développe sur un grand coteau viticole et boisé situé au cœur du site naturel des Dentelles de Montmirail (40km au nord d’Avignon). Ce site est à la fois l’un des pôles d’attraction touristique du département et le lieu d’une production viticole renommée (Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes de Venise, … ). Cet ensemble remarquable de terrasses viticoles et de crêtes rocheuses et boisées, forme un des paysages emblématiques du Vaucluse. La commune est actuellement soumise à une importante pression foncière due à une forte demande résidentielle. Le paysage du coteau forme et possède de ce fait un patrimoine culturel de valeur et une image de marque importante pour la production viticole locale.

Wines made from Muscat d’Alexandria grapes exhibit a high haze risk. For this reason, they are systematically treated with bentonite, on the must and sometimes also on wine. In most oenological labora-tories and in companies (trade, cooperatives, independent winegrowers), the test that is by far the most widely used, on a worldwide scale, remains the heat test at 80°C for 30 minutes to 2 hours (and some-times up to 6 hours). The tannin test (sometimes coupled with a heat treatment) and the Bentotest are still used. In this study, we show that all these tests give much higher estimates of the haze risk than the risk assessed by a 24-48h treatment at 42°C, which represents a heat wave.

In France, the definition of appellations of origins is entrusted to the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine. (‘NAO). With the increase in price of appellations of origin vine­yards and considering the interests at stake, Institut National des Appellations d’Origine and the Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (INRA) established a work group in 1993 in order to study the “terroir-wine” relationship as precisely as possible, taking into account the knowledge acquired by researchers of the INRA and the experience in the field of the agents of the INAO.