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

In recent years, numerous studies have been carried out at the OIV on oenological tannins, both with regard to oenological properties and methods of characterization. The results of these recent studies have led to the revision of the general monograph and the drafting of four new monographs, one for each of the four chemical classes into which the tannins have been grouped: ellagitannins, gallotannins, procyanidins/prodelphinidins, profisetinidins/prorobinetinins.

Wine grapes exposed to wildfire smoke have resulted in wines with burnt and ashy sensory characteristics¹, that are undesirable qualities in wine. In extreme wildfire events, this can lead to total loss of grape crop. Currently there are no effective solutions in the market to prevent the uptake of smoke compounds into grapes. In this study, previously developed innovative film coatings were tested to analyze their effectiveness in reducing smoke phenol absorption². Four different cellulose nanofiber-based film types were investigated.

Italy has a long history of viticulture and has become one of the world’s leading producers of vine propagation material. The Italian vine nursery industry is today highly qualified and has become highly competitive on a global scale. The quality of the material is guaranteed by compliance with European Union regulations, which have been in force since the second half of the 20th century and have subsequently been supplemented and updated.

The effect of two rootstocks of different drought tolerance (1103 Paulsen and 3309 Couderc) on sap flow, water relations and gas exchange of cv. Xinomavro (Vitis vinifera L.) was investigated during the 2005 season in Naoussa, Greece. Soil was maintained at field capacity for both rootstock treatments until mid July when a restricted water regime was applied by irrigation cutoff. Sap flow diurnals for the Xinomavro-1103P combination showed a rapid decrease of flow after midday, under water stress conditions.

Fruity notes play a key role in the consumer’s appreciation of Bordeaux red wines. If literature provides a lot of knowledge about the nature of volatile compounds involved in this fruity expression, the sensory phenomena involving these compounds in mixture still need to be explored. Considering previous sensory works about the impact of esters and some overripening compounds, the goal of this work was to study the implication of perceptual interactions involving red wine odorant compounds of diverse origins and described as potentially affecting fruity aromatic expression.