Temperature variations in the Walla Walla valley American Viticultural Area

Modern viticulture in Croatia and the world is mainly based on the grapevine varieties susceptible to various diseases and pests, which leads to unsustainable use of large amounts of pesticides. The sustainable development of viticulture in the future will only be possible by increasing the resistance of the grapevine through the development of new resistant varieties. Breeding programs have been launched in the leading wine-growing countries with the aim of developing resistant varieties possessing high quality level. Coratia is rich in in native grapevine varieties that are the basis of wine production, and are not included in the breeding programs of other countries.

Bioprotection, leveraging beneficial microorganisms, has emerged as a sustainable approach to modern winemaking, minimizing reliance on chemical preservatives like as sulfur dioxide (SO₂).

The overall quality of aged wines is in part due to the development of complex aromas over a long period (1.) The apparition of this aromatic complexity depends on multiple chemical reactions that include the liberation of odorous compounds from non-odorous precursors. One example of this phenomenon is found in dimethyl sulphide (DMS) which, with its characteristic odor truffle, is a known contributor to the bouquet of premium aged wine bouquet (1). DMS supposedly accumulates during the ten first years of ageing thanks to the hydrolysis of its precursor dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSp.) DMSp is a possible secondary by-product from the degradation of S-methylmethionine (SMM), an amino acid iden- tified in grapes (2), which can be metabolized by yeast during alcoholic fermentation.

For characterization, sensory designing and authentication rapid analytical technologies have become available. Some, like Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry allow a rapid spectrum of the volatile compounds of wines. Combined with chemometrics wines can be characterized. The same approach can be used to calculate the results of virtual mixtures and allow formulation of constant quality blends. Other new techniques and portable devices based on spectroscopy allow measurements on production sites and in grocery stores, even for the smart consumer. We will present some examples of the application of these techniques for authentication of wines, both in the laboratory and on site.

Une étude préliminaire des situations météorologiques journalières a été réalisée pour l’Afrique du Sud et pour les mois de février (période de maturation des raisins dans la Province occidentale du Cap), à l’image de la classification synoptique réalisée aux latitudes tempérées en France (Jones & Davis, 2000), afin d’étudier les relations entre le climat et la viticulture à des latitudes plus basses.