Changes in grape-associated microbiome as a consequence of post-harvest withering

The impact of viticulture on soil can be determined by comparing the biophysical properties that represent soil health at a particular site and depth with those same properties in soil considered to represent the ‘pre-vineyard’ state (the headland). Information gathered by this method shows the changes in soil properties following the change to viticulture depend on individual vineyard management and environment.

In the current scenario of climatic variability, even though the vine (Vitis vinifera) is a species generally considered very fertile, the process of bud differentiation is particularly influenced by the weather trend not only of the current year but also of the previous one.

Most consumers enjoy wine in moderation, however, there remains a minority that may develop risky drinking habits, potentially harming themselves and those around them. For the last fifteen years, a prime objective of the wine in moderation programme has been to educate and empower the wine sector and now for the first time, a central education tool has been developed, integrating the topic of moderate consumption horizontally in all wine activities. The entire wine value chain – from the producer to the salesperson to the restaurant service staff – can contribute to reduce harmful consumption and encourage responsible drinking patterns.

The gustatory balance of wines relies on sweetness, bitterness and sourness. In dry wines, sweetness does not result from the presence of residual sugar as in sweet wines, but is due to other non-volatile compounds. Such taste-active compounds are released during winemaking, by grapes, yeasts or oak wood and belong numerous chemical families [1]. Beyond this diversity, stereochemistry of molecules can also influence their sensory properties [2]. However, the molecular determinants associated with this taste have only been partially elucidated. Astilbin (2R, 3R) was recently reported to contribute to wine sweetness [3]. As its aglycon contains two stereogenic centers, three other stereoisomers may be present: neoisoastilbin (2S, 3R), isoastilbin (2R, 3S), and neoastilbin (2S, 3S). These compounds have already been observed in natural products, but never in wine. This work aimed at assaying their presence for the first time in wines as well as their taste properties.The isomers were synthesized from astilbin and purified by semi-preparative HPLC.

Botrytis bunch rot occurrence is the most important limitation for the wine industry in humid environments. The effect of grapevine vegetative growth on bunch rot expression results from direct effects (cluster architecture, nitrogen status among others) and indirect ones (via microclimate). Previous studies of our group showed strong differences in bunch rot incidence between floor management treatments: cover crop (CC) vs weed-free strips under the trellis with herbicide (H). We observed that in some circumstances this reduction in bunch rot incidence occurred without major vine growth differences among treatments. The aim of the present study was to test the general hypothesis that other factors unrelated to grapevine vegetative expression could be more relevant to grapevine susceptibility to bunch rot.