Terroir or Tūrangawaewae? Expressing sense of place in an emerging New Zealand wine region

Tannin composition is an important attribute in red wine quality, and it is therefore critical to understand the factors influencing tannin extraction during alcoholic fermentation. Tannins contribute to the mouthfeel of wines, but they also form pigmented polymers...

In the Cognac appellation, the production of white wines is almost exclusively dedicated to elaborate Charentaise eaux-de-vie. In this sense, the quality of Cognac eaux-de-vie intrinsically depends on the quality of the base wines subjected to the distillation stage. In this context, the production of these base wines differs from those of classic white wines to release particular organoleptic properties during the distillation stage.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are responsible for the flavor and aroma of a wine. The sensory qualities of the wines depend not only on grape intrinsic characteristics, but also on extrinsic factors including the soil composition. Previous studies have shown that the application of pyrogenic carbon (biochar) can lead to a change in soil parameters. For that reason, one of the goals of the ERDF funded project «WoodUp» is the characterization and reutilization of the locally produced biochar for agricultural purposes.

‘Mavrodafni’ (Vitis vinifera L.) is considered one of the oldest grapevine cultivars indigenous to the Greek vineyard, with western Peloponnese being its primary center of cultivation. ‘Renio’ is considered to be either a variant of ‘Mavrodafni’ or an altogether different cultivar. Both ‘Mavrodafni’ and ‘Renio’ can be found in the vineyards of the centers of cultivation, since ‘Renio’ is considered to be more productive compared to ‘Mavrodafni’, and for this reason, it has gradually replaced ‘Mavrodafni’ from cultivation over the course of time. The aim of the present study was to assay the mechanical properties, the polyphenolic content and the antioxidant capacity of skin extracts and must of berries coming from ‘Mavrodafni’ and ‘Renio’, cultivated in the same vineyard as well as in the different regions of cultivation of the PDO Mavrodafni Patras.

A part, at least, of red wines fruity expression may be explained by perceptive interactions involving particularly various substituted ethyl esters and acetates present at concentration far below their olfactory threshold, specifically thanks to synergistic effects. Wine sensory perception is directly linked to the stimulation of the taster at the level of olfactory epithelium by volatiles. These compounds are liberated from the matrix to the atmosphere, and will then be smelt. From a physico-chemical point of view, these volatiles ability to be released may be evaluated by their partition coefficients, which correspond to the volatile concentration ratio between the liquid and gas phase. Our goal is, through these coefficients determination, to assess if volatile matrix composition is able to impact the volatility of some compounds, and then explain sensory perception, i.eto evaluate what is called the pre-sensorial level impact.