“Un grande theatro di amenissimi colli”: “tutti coltivati et abondanti di frutti eccellentissimi e di buonissime viti”

Winemaking decisions and techniques are known to affect the final aromatic composition of red wines. Winemakers put a constant effort into the improved controlling of vinification procedures to achieve better quality. Anyway an increased customer’s demand for uniqueness is often forcing them to adjust and offer new and new interesting products. To support the producers, an improved knowledge on aromatic potential as affected by classical and alternative strategies is needed.

AIM: Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) [1] is a modern technology for fast and sensitive amplification of specific DNA sequences under isothermal conditions. Its simple handling and no need for dedicated equipment together with an evaluation of the amplification event by in-tube detection make this method advantageous and economically affordable for on-site investigations in the industry.

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the most important economic crops in the world. Because of this importance, one finds widespread molecular genetic research on this species, an important element of which is high quality RNA.

Pre-fermentative skin maceration is a technique used in white wine production to enhance varietal aroma, but it can increase protein concentration, leading to protein instability and haze formation [1]. To prevent protein instability, wine producers typically use fining agents such as bentonite, before wine bottling, which can negatively impact sensory characteristics and produce waste [2,3]. The aim of this study was to understand the impact of alternative techniques such as the application of polysaccharides (k-carrageenan and chitosan) on protein stability and on the wine macromolecular composition.

Wine lees represent an abundant yet largely undervalorised by-product of the winemaking industry.