Since some years, the French wine sector faces strategical challenges, all linked to climate change. Multiple issues have been observed like diseases development, early frost, drought, change in the precocity and maturity of grapes, each one resulting in loss of productivity and yield. In France, the varieties proposed today by nurseries are historical varieties that are not well adapted to those changes. Therefore, Mercier Frères, one of the leading grapevine nursery, has decided to start its own research programs, with the help of its laboratory Novatech, to answer the growing demand for new grapevine varieties.

AIM: Many research studies have analyzed the effect of polysaccharides in the aromatic composition of white wines.

The sensory definition of the aging bouquet of red Bordeaux wines has been shown to be structured around seven main aromatic nuances: “undergrowth”, “spicy” “truffle”, “fresh red- and black-berry fruits”, “liquorice”, “mint”, and “toasted” (1). Some of these descriptors are also used to describe the aromatic notes of old Champagnes (2) suggesting common volatile compounds between these two types of wine.

La qualité des vins dépend de différents facteurs et procédés, notamment de la nature des terrains viticoles. Dans ce travail, nous avons cherché à établir les liens entre descripteurs pédologiques des parcelles et descripteurs sensoriels des vins. Sur la base de Classifications Ascendantes Hiérarchiques (CAH) et d’Analyses en Composante Principale (ACP), il a été possible d’établir des liens entre la nature des parcelles (sableuse, argileuse, sablo-graveuleuse) et certains descripteurs sensoriels des vins (chaleur, astringence, fruit noir) et plus globalement avec le type de vins élaborés.

In previous experiments carried out in Bologna on Sangiovese grapevines raised with the Australian “Minimal Pruning” system, it has been shown that this system left an excessive burden of buds on the vine.

A part, at least, of the fruity aroma of red wines is the consequence of perceptive interactions between various aromatic compounds, particularly ethyl esters and acetates, which may contribute to the perception of fruity aromas, specifically thanks to synergistic effects.1,2 The question of the indirect impact of non-fruity compounds on this particular aromatic expression has not yet been widely investigated. Among these compounds higher alcohols (HA) represent the main group, from a quantitative standpoint, of volatiles in many alcoholic beverages. Moreover, some bibliographic data suggested their contribution to the aromatic complexity by either increasing or masking flavors of wine, depending of their concentrations.

Suite à des expérimentations de solarisation artificielle réalisées en 1999 en conditions réelles de culture, à partir de matériels réfléchissants partiellement colorés en vert, en bleu

Soil mulching is an interesting strategy to reduce soil evaporation, assist in weed control, improve soil structure and organic content, increase soil water infiltration, and decrease diurnal temperature fluctuations

Climate change establishes challenges, as well as opportunities for many sectors, and markedly the wine sector.

Grapes’ sun-drying is one of the most critical steps in the production of ‘Commandaria’, a dessert wine with Protected Designation of Origin that is exclusively produced in Cyprus from grapes of the two indigenous cultivars (Vitis vinifera L.), namely ‘Mavro’ and ‘Xynisteri’. Despite its significant economic importance, no data regarding the primary and secondary metabolites of the aforementioned cultivars exist.