AOC Saint-Romain, Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune, Burgundy: analysis of a “terroir”

With the steady rise in wildfire occurrence in wine regions around the world, there are quality issues beginning to face the wine industry. These fires produce clouds of smoke which have the ability to carry organic molecules across vast distances that can be absorbed by grapes. When these compounds make their way into the final wine, unpleasant smokey and burnt flavors are present, along with a lasting ashy finish. Along with the volatile compounds carried by smoke, once incorporated into the fruit these compounds become bound to sugars, forming glycosidic compounds.

Aims: The current study seeks to demonstrate that premium Shiraz wines from different Australian geographic indications (GI) can be distinguished by their volatile compound composition. 

Context and purpose of the study. The primary fungal diseases affecting grapevines in Europe are downy mildew and powdery mildew.

In modern viticulture, sustainability must be considered not only into the winery, but in the vineyard as well, being that with the most attentive interventions in order to protect the environment. In this context, the new “fungi resistant” varieties represent a valid option for reducing the negative environmental impact of agrochemicals used in viticulture, including those ones used in organic farming (given the copper accumulation into soils). Several application studies have demonstrated the enological validity of many resistant varieties, both in price and as a blend. Also, under the production point of view, the feasibility and economical sustainability of the new resistant varieties was verified. The aim of this work was to deepen the knowledge on the organoleptic characteristics of wines obtained from the Fleurtai and Soreli varieties and to compare them with the wine obtained from Tocai Friulano, the mother variety in the area destined for the production of the Lison Classico DOCG appellation. The purpose of the work is then to verify the possibility of introducing resistant varieties into the DOCG while maintaining the wine name of the appellation linked to the territory.

The risk of wildfires is increasing as the frequency and severity of drought and heat waves continue to rise. Wildfires are associated with the combustion of plant materials and emit smoke. In the atmosphere, smoke may spread readily across large areas. Smoke is composed of solid and liquid phase particulates and gases and has been identified as a causal agent of “smoke taint” in wine. On a smoky day, the intensity of direct light decreases because these particulates scatter sunlight. Even though this effect is frequently assumed to decrease plant photosynthesis, this assumption ignores the potential changes in diffuse light and may be based on scant evidence.