How a microscopic yeast makes a big difference – how geographic limitations of yeast populations can determine the regional aroma of wine

The ability of grapevine cultivars and rootstocks to cope with and adapt to recurring water constraints is the focus of this study. The contribution of intrinsic (epigenetic) and extrinsic (rootzone microbial community) factors to water stress resilience will be discussed. The study was conducted in a validated model vineyard where three scion cultivars (Pinotage, Shiraz, and Cabernet Sauvignon) on two rootstocks (Richter 110 and USVIT8-7) grow under recurring seasonal water constraint (and control) scenarios since planting (in 2020). Comprehensive profiling of the site, soil, atmospheric conditions, plants, and their physiological responses provide contextual data for the analyses conducted.

Context and purpose of the study. The breeding of PIWI varieties has a long tradition in the Czech Republic. In the last two years, 9 new PIWI varieties have been registered.

Today, there is need to design, produce and label terroir wines, with unique organoleptic properties and more “attractive to consumers”. For this purpose, two Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains (Sa and Sb) isolated during spontaneous fermentations were used for white wine production from the Assyrtiko grape of Santorini. A third commercial strain was used as control.

Undesirable compounds in wine, like OTA, biogenic amines, and pesticide residues, can negatively affect its quality and pose health risks to consumers. In addition, an excess of tannins can lead to an unpleasant rise in astringency and bitterness, which makes tannins another target of reduction.

Pierce’s disease (PD) is considered a potential threat to european viticulture (EPPO a2 list of pathogens since 1981). In the usa, infections caused by the vector-borne bacterium xylella fastidiosa have caused recurrent damage to vineyards in California and the southeastern states. However, vineyards in Europe have remained free of PD until recently, when it was first detected on the island of Mallorca in 2017. The reasons for the absence of PD in continental Europe have not been convincingly explained.