Aromatic stability of Syrah and Petit Verdot tropical wines from Brazil

Vineyard exposure to smoke can lead to grapes and wine which exhibit objectionable smoky and ashy aromas and flavours, more commonly known as ‘smoke taint’ [1, 2]. In the last decade, significant bushfires have occurred around the world, including near wine regions in Australia, Canada, South Africa and the USA, as a consequence of the warmer, drier conditions associated with climate change. Considerable research has subsequently been undertaken to determine the chemical, sensory and physiological consequences of grapevine exposure to smoke. The sensory attributes associated with smoke-tainted wine have been linked to the presence of several smoke-derived volatile phenols, such as guaiacols, syringols and cresols [2].

The winery and distilling spirits industry generate a remarkable amount of by-products and wasted, that are not properly managed, posing socioeconomic problems and environmental risks, due to its seasonal and polluting characteristics.

Among red wines ethyl esters, those from short hydroxylated and branched-chain aliphatic acids constitute a family with a particular behavior and sensory importance. They have been previously discussed in the literature [1] and recent studies have established that some of them were strongly involved in of red wines’ fruity aroma [2]. As some among them have an asymmetrical carbon atom, it seemed important to separate their different enantiomers to obtain an accurate assessment of their organoleptic impact. Three chiral esters have been identified, presenting alkyl and/or hydroxyle substituants: ethyl 2-hydroxy-4-methylpentanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, and ethyl 3-hydroxybutanoate.

This paper describes a zoning study performed on a vast territory of around 86,500 hectares, situated in the countryside area of La Mancha Central (Castilla-La Mancha). The aim of the study was to classify the environment according to a small number of ecological criteria, establish the relevant territorial units and generate thematic maps with the different levels of criteria employed and synthetic maps by crossing these criteria.

The need to mitigate the yield impact of Spring frosts in vineyards remains a significant challenge around the world.