Volatile fraction of young Cabernet Sauvignon from Santa Catarina State, a new terroir in Brazil

Pinking describes the appearance of a salmon-red blush in white bottled wines produced exclusively from white grape varieties. It is understood as an undesirable chromatic phenomenon by both wine consumers and the industry. Nowadays, there are no treatments to fully reverse pinking once it occurs. Partial reversion has been shown after exposure of pinked wine to ultraviolet (UV) light.

Fungal chitosan is a polysaccharide made up of glucosamine and N-acetyl-glucosamine and derived from chitin-glucan of Aspergillus niger or Agaricus bisporus. Fungal chitosan has been authorized as an antiseptic agent in wine since 2009 (OIV) and in organic wine in 2018. At the maximum dose of 10g/hl, it was shown to eliminate Brettanomyces bruxellensis, the main spoilage agent in red wines. Fungal chitosan is highly renewable, biocompatible (ADI equivalent to sucrose) and non-allergenic. However, winemakers often prefer to use sulfites (SO2), though sulfites are classified as priority food allergens, than chitosan. Indeed, many conflicting reports exist regarding its efficiency and its side effects towards beneficial wine microorganisms or wine taste. These contradictions could be explained by the heterogeneity of the fungal chitosan lots traded, the diversity of the wines (chemical composition, winemaking process), but also, by the recently highlighted huge genetic diversity prevailing in wine microbial species.

Morphological image analysis is a powerful technique used in various fields, including agriculture, to quantitatively assess the physical characteristics of objects. In viticulture, the accurate assessment of grapevine characteristics is essential for optimizing crop management and improving the quality of wine production.

Brettanomyces bruxellensis is found in various ecological niches, but particularly in fermentative processes: beer, kombucha, cider and wine. In the oenological sector, this yeast is undesirable, as it can produce ethyl phenols, thus altering wine quality. These compounds are characterized by stable or horse-sweat aromas, unpleasant for consumers.

Da anni la ricerca viticola sta orientando le sue attenzioni verso lo studio della vocazionalità degli ecosistemi viticoli, perché fulcro della produttività della vite e qualità dei suoi frutti.