Geological characterization of plot belonging to the left bank terraces terroir of the Gaillac vineyard (Tarn, Midi-Pyrénées). Consequences on determination of choice of vegetative material

Aim: The eastern foot of Helan Mountain, Ningxia, China is one of the most important wine production regions in China and grape cultivation has spread in several sub-regions with different soils and cultivars. Large diversity in wine aromas have been observed at Ningxia region but which terroir factors drive those diversity in aromas remain to uncover. This study aims to investigate the impacts of grape varieties and soil chemical properties on wine aromas at Ningxia, in order to characterize the aromatic typicality of Ningxia wines and provide foundation for developing a ‘Protected Designation of Origin’ system. 

Long-term studies on grapevine phenology have clearly demonstrated that global warming is affecting phenological events, leading to an anticipation in their timing, and negatively impacting grape yield and berry quality. Therefore, dissecting the genetic determinants involved in the plant regulation of the phenological stages of budburst, flowering, veraison and ripening can improve our knowledge of the underlying mechanisms and support plant breeding programs and the advancement of vineyard management strategies.
We report here the results of a QTL mapping experiment conducted on three segregating populations obtained from the crossing of ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ and ‘Corvina’, ‘Corvina’ and the hybrid ‘Solaris’ and ‘Rhine Riesling’ and ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’.

Climate change challenges differently wine growing systems, depending on their biophysical, sociological and economic features. Therefore, there is a need to locally design and evaluate adaptation strategies combining several technical options, and considering the local opportunities and constraints (e.g. water access, wine typicity). The case study took place in a typical and heterogeneous Mediterranean vineyard of 1,500 ha in the South of France. We developed a participatory modeling approach to (1) conceptualize local climate change issues and design spatially explicit adaptation strategies with stakeholders, (2) numerically evaluate their effects on phenology, yield and irrigation needs under the high-emissions climate change scenario RCP 8.5, and (3) collectively discuss simulation results. We organized five sets of workshops, with in-between modeling phases. A process-based model was developed that allowed to evaluate the effects of six technical options (late varieties, irrigation, water saving by reducing canopy size, adjusting cover cropping, reducing density, and shading) with various distributions in the watershed, as well as vineyard relocation. Overall, we co-designed three adaptation strategies. Delay harvest strategy with late varieties showed little effects on decreasing air temperature during ripening. Water constraint limitation strategy would compensate for production losses if disruptive adaptations (e.g. reduced density) were adopted, and more land got access to irrigation. Relocation strategy would foster high premium wine production in the constrained mountainous areas where grapevine is less impacted by climate change. This research shows that a spatial distribution of technical changes gives room for adaptation to climate change, and that the collaboration with local stakeholders is a key to the identification of relevant adaptation. Further research should explore the potential of adaptation strategies based on soil quality improvement and on water stress tolerant varieties.

During red wine fermentation, the extraction of phenolics compounds and sufficient oxygen provision are critical for wine quality [1,2]. In this trial, we aimed at evaluating the kinetics of phenolic extraction and dissolved oxygen during red wine fermentations using the airmixing system. Twenty lots of red grape musts were fermented in 300.000 L tanks, equipped with airmixing, using two injection regimes (i.e., high and low intensity, and high and low daily frequency). An oxygen analyzer was introduced into the tanks in order to record the concentration of dissolved oxygen over time.

Fruity aromas, characterized by red and black fruit descriptors, are central to the identity of Bordeaux red wines [1,2]. Despite extensive research focused on identifying and quantifying volatile compounds that contribute to fruity aromas in wine, the mechanisms underlying their interactions and sensory perception remain poorly understood [3].