Arsenic in berries and its correlation with natural soil content: experience in Trentino (Italy)

Extracellular substances (ECS) represent all molecules outside the cytoplasmic membrane, which are not directly anchored to the cell wall of microorganisms living through a planktonic or biofilm phenotype. They are the high-biomolecular-weight secretions from microorganisms (i.e. extracellular polymeric substances – EPS – proteins, polysaccharides, humic acid, nucleic acid), and the products of cellular lysis and hydrolysis of macromolecules. In addition, some high- and low-molecular-weight organic and inorganic matters from environment can also be adsorbed to the EPS. All can be firmly bound to the cell surface, associated with the EPS matrix of biofilm, or released as being freely diffusing throughout the medium.

Identification and characterisation of terroirs depends on knowledge of environmental parameters, functioning of the grapevine and characteristics of the final product. A network of plots of Sauvignon blanc was delimited in commercial vineyards in proximity to weather stations at 20 localities and their viticultural and oenological response was monitored for a period of seven years. These experimental plots were further characterised with respect to climate, soil and topography.

The Armenian highlands are located on the northern border of western asia and stretch up to the caucasus from the north. Throughout human history, country has played an important role in connecting the civilizations of europe and the near east. The recent large-scale study about the dual domestication origin and evolution of grapes approved that in the Armenian highlands human and grapevine stories are interlaced through centuries and roots of grapevine domestication are found deep in the pleistocene, ending 11.5 thousand years ago. Findings of this study confirmed that glacial episodes distinguish wild grapes into eastern and western ecotypes around 200-400 ka.

Analysis of aerial photos by using GIS tools and on-field surveys of flora are used to characterize territories from an agro-ecological point of view and to assess the level of diversity of given agro-ecosystems. More and more correlations between landscape characteristics, sustainability and quality of agriculture production were speculated. In last three years a study was carried out in the area of DOC “Gioia del Colle” in Apulia, South Italy, in order to characterize and investigate different vineyards and sites and find out possible interactions and correlations between the landscape diversity, the biodiversity of fields and the quality of grapes and wines.

AIM: Pre-fermentative fining is one of the central steps of white wine production. Mainly aiming at reducing the levels of suspended solids, juice fining can also assist in reducing the content of oxidizable phenolics and therefore the susceptibility of juice to oxidation.