Within-vineyard spatial variation impacts methoxypyrazine accumulation in the rachis of Cabernet-Sauvignon

An agroclimatic description of Aeolian archipelago viticulture area (Me), Italy is presented. Aeolian archipelago is located off the northeastern coast of Sicily and it includes the islands of Alicudi, Filicudi, Salina, Panarea, Lipari, Stromboli and Vulcano.

Winemakers are increasingly experimenting with new techniques, such as spontaneous fermentation, prolonged yeast contact, higher pH, minimal sulphur dioxid, filtration and clarification or oxidative ageing. Along with this, the risk of microbial spoilage increases, and so the off-flavour mousiness, long time underestimated, is becoming more frequent. Characteristic of the mousy off-flavour is the delayed perception after swallowing the wine. After a few seconds the flavour appears, reminiscent of a dirty mouse cage. There are three known compounds that cause mousy off-flavor: 2-ethyltetrahydropyridine, 2-acetyltetrahydopyridine, and 2-acetylpyrroline. Yeasts such as Dekkera/Brettanomyces and heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria like Lactobacillus hilgardii can release these compounds.

Vineyards are home to a myriad of microorganisms that interact with each other and with the vines. Some microorganisms are plant pathogens, such as the oomycete Plasmopara viticola, causing grapevine downy mildew. Others have a positive effect on vine health, such as disease biocontrol agents. These beneficial plant-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions have gained more attention in recent years because they could represent an alternative to the use of fungicides in viticulture.

1,1,6-Trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (TDN) is a controversial aroma component found in Riesling wines. It belongs to the family of C13-norisoprenoids and is mainly associated with kerosene/petrol notes. TDN can add complexity to the wine aroma at medium – low concentrations and deteriorate the wine bouquet when its content is high. No TDN aromas are usually perceived in young Riesling wines, but they can appear after several years of aging due to the gradual formation of TDN. Management of TDN in Riesling wines is an actual task, since global warming can promote formation of this compound and compromise the aromatic composition of wine. Therefore, the aim of the current work was, firstly, to study the sensory particularities of TDN in Riesling wine at various concentrations. Secondly, to investigate the ability of bottle closures to absorb (scalp) TDN from Riesling wine under various storage conditions. These studies also include the comparative assessment of our findings with previously published data. METHODS: sensory analysis, GC-MS (SBSE), HPLC,1H-NMR and other methods related to the synthesis and determination of TDN. RESULTS: First of all, the method of the synthesis of highly purified TDN (95% and 99.5%) was optimized [1].

Climate is considered one of the main factors that determines the aptitude of a specific location for growing grapes and producing high quality wine, being in that sense one of the main elements defining the concept of terroir