Historical terraced vineyards – heritage and nature conservation strategies

AIM Astringency is described as a ‘dry puckering‐like sensation’ following consumption of tannins1 that affect consumer preference of foods and beverages, including red wine2. To improve the understanding of astringency, which is a complex interaction due to multiple mechanisms occurring simultaneously, further studies are needed. In this view, oral tribology is considered a useful technique for beverage study to evaluate the thin-film lubrication properties of saliva resulting in oral friction‐related sensations3. The aim of this study was to examine the film behavior of selected protein-based fluids under controlled friction conditions, to understand polyphenol-protein interactions involved in the sensation of astringency.

The impact of minute amounts of headspace oxygen on the post-bottling development of wine is generally considered to be very important, since oxygen, packaging and storage conditions can either damage or improve wine quality. This is reflected in the generalised use of inert bottling lines, where the headspace between the white wine and the stopper is filled with an inert gas. This experiment aimed to address some open questions about the chemistry of the interaction between wine and oxygen, crucial for decisions regarding optimal closure. While it is known that similar amounts of oxygen affect different wines to a variable extent, our knowledge of chemistry is not sufficient to construct a predictive method.

A major goal of modern grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) breeding programs is the introgression of resistance genes along with desirable traits for better adaptation to climate change. Developmental stages have an impact on yield components and berry composition and are expected to shift towards earlier dates in the future. We investigated the genetic determinism of phenological stages in the progeny of a cross between two grapevine hybrids, each carrying several quantitative trait loci (QTL) for downy mildew and powdery mildew resistance.

A study of « terroirs » was achieved from 2003 to 2005 in the whole vineyard of the Ré island (17, France). Over more than 1,990 ha, a cartography at the 1/10.000 scale, including characterization of climatic, pedological, geological and hydrogeological components of « Basic Terroir Units » (B.T.U.) was made. Also, a survey among wine growers was conducted. All data were treated together in a G.I.S. connected to a data base. 22 kinds of map were built (B.T.U. and components, soil water reserve, vine functioning potentials, varieties, rootstocks, viticultural practices and soil management).

Phenolic compounds are very importants in crop plants, which is why there have been the subject of a large number of studies