Effect of environmentally friendly vineyard protection strategies on yeast ecology during fermentation

Dans le cadre de TerclimPro 2025, Sébastien Zito a présenté un article IVES Technical Reviews. Retrouvez la présentation ci-dessous ainsi que l’article associé : https://ives-technicalreviews.eu/article/view/9161

La culture de la vigne dessine un paysage rural original. En effet, de par ses qualités physiologiques, ses exigences agronomiques et les techniques qu’elle requiert, elle est à l’origine d’un portrait de nature sculpté, architecturé, parfois même comparé à l’art des jardins. A ce que l’on pourrait le cas échéant qualifier d’« art involontaire »

Wine aroma is a complex gaseous mixture composed of various compounds; some of these molecules derive directly from the grapes while most of them are released and synthetized during fermentation or are due to ageing reactions

One of the consequences of global warming is the quick berry development giving rise to a disconnection between sugar accumulation and the formation of important quality minor compounds such as phenolics and volatile compounds being a huge challenge for the oenologist [1]. Thus, this phenomenon is forcing the search on strategies for maintaining the quality of wines despite this situation. One possibility is to make an early harvest with a low sugar concentration (18ºbrix) and advanced harvest for sparkling wine (20-21ºbrix) and afterwards to combine base wines properly and carry out the second fermentation trying to compensate the lack of secondary metabolites due to the quick berry development and higher alcohol degree of the second one, not adequate itself for sparkling wine. The aim of this study was to assess the chemical and physical characteristics, mainly volatile profile, and foaming properties of sparkling wines from grapes of Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc.

Prior to winemaking, organic or mineral nitrogen compound concentrations are usually measured in the vineyard and in grape musts. These indicators facilitate vine cultivation decisions, usually through yield or vigor. During vinification, yeast and bacteria metabolize nitrogen compounds in the musts in order to generate biomass. After fermentation, the microorganisms rerelease a part of this nitrogen as soluble compounds into the wines. Another part remains bound in the lees and can be lost during racking. The must’s natural nitrogen quantities, additional supplements during fermentation, and lees contact management enhance the release of nitrogen compounds to the wines. During ageing these nitrogen compounds – primarily the amino acids – are implicated in the generation of odorous compounds such as heterocycles(1).