Comparing the chemical and sensory consequences of grapevine smoke exposure in grapes and wine from different cultivars and different wine regions in Australia

Grapevine cultivars are vegetatively propagated to maintain their varietal attributes. However, spontaneous somatic variation emerges during prolonged periods of vegetative growth, providing an opportunity for the natural improvement of traditional grapevine cultivars. Notably, reduction in bunch compactness is a favorable trait in viticulture, offering advantages such as decreased susceptibility to bunch fungal diseases, and a more uniform ripening of berries. To unravel the genetic and developmental mechanisms behind bunch compactness variation, we examined a somatic variant of Tempranillo Tinto cultivar with loose bunches. We found that the mutant clone exhibits a ~50% reduction in pollen viability compared to typical Tempranillo clones.

Lambrusco is a commercially successful sparkling red and rosé wine. With 13.06 million litres sold in 2021 was the second best-selling Italian wine after Chianti. According to National Catalogue of Vine Varieties there are thirteen Lambrusco Varieties with which to date are produced seven PDO wines. Among these, “Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce”, “Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro” and “Lambrusco di Sorbara” are the only ones that can be considered mono-varietal appellations, all located in Modena area. The PDOs contemplate the possibility of producing wines by secondary fermentation either in tank (Charmat method), or in bottle (Classico method). Sur lie is a third method commonly employed for Lambrusco, similar to the Classico method, from which differs for the absence of disgorgement.

Challenges associated with climate change, such as soil erosion and drought, have impacted viticulture across wine regions globally in recent decades. As winegrowers struggle to maintain yield and quality standards under these conditions, methods to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change have become more prevalent. One potential mitigation strategy is to enhance symbiotic interaction of grapevine roots with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).

In 2020 one out of  eight wine bottles were filled with a flavoured wine-based beverage.

Pinking of white wine is an undesired change potentially occurring over storage, leading to the turning of color from yellow into salmon-red hue.