Vineyard soil mapping to optimise wine quality: from ‘terroir’ characterisation to vineyard management

Odours deemed harmful by the consumer and described as “stable”, “horse sweat” or “burnt plastic” can be found in wines. The responsible molecules are volatile phenols, produced by a spoilage yeast: brettanomyces bruxellensis. This species is particularly well adapted to the wine environment and can resists many stresses such as a high alcohol level, a low ph or high levels of SO2, more or less efficiently depending on the strain considered.

The purpose of the present study was to understand the overall concept of an aged dry white wine using a descriptive mental questionnaire. A total of 680 worldwide participants, grouped according to their involvement in the wine business, replied to an online questionnaire to characterize the sensory analytical and synthetic descriptors of an aged dry white wine. The descriptors were selected using a Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) approach concerning wine colour, aroma, taste, mouthfeel, and global appreciation.

La zona sur de la Isla de Tenerife elabora principalmente vinos blancos. Desde hace unos años se intenta elaborar mayor cantidad de vinos tintos, siendo los resultados obtenidos variables en función

The use of pectinolytic enzymes in winemaking is state of the art. These enzymes catalyse the degradation of pectic substances through depolymerization (hydrolases and lyases) and de-esterification. As a result, it supports the extraction of juice and facilitates filtration. It has also been shown in winemaking that the presence of pectinolytic enzymes improves the stability, taste, texture, colour and aroma of products. With regard to enzymes currently applied in winemaking, enzymes derived from filamentous fungi dominate the enzyme industry. Fungal-based pectinolytic enzymes specifically require purification from the culture medium to eliminate unwanted side reactions, which is poorly sustainable. Some non-traditional yeast strains have been reported to exhibit pectinolytic activities. Therefore, the direct use of pectinolytic yeast during wine fermentation process can be an attractive and alternative source for the use of enzymes as input.

Aging on lees (AOL) has been used for wine aging for a long time, thanks to its ability to modify wine composition, improving sensory characteristics and stability. However, the prolonged contact with fermentation lees may increase the risk of developing sensory defects, due to the growth of unwanted microorganisms. Furthermore, AOL requires a large amount of work to manage bâtonnage and for topping up the barrels, significantly increasing production costs.