Agronomical assessment of a vine « terroir » map: first results in the « AOC » Minervois region

Malolactic fermentation (MLF) is a secondary step in the vinification process and it follows alcoholic fermentation (AF) which is predominantly carried out by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These two processes result in the degradation of metabolites to produce secondary metabolites which also contribute to the final wine flavour and quality. AF results in the production of ethanol and carbon dioxide from sugars and MLF stems from the degradation of L-malic acid (a dicarboxylic acid) to L-lactic acid (a monocarboxylic acid). The latter process results in a smoother texture as the acidity of the wine is reduced by the process, it also adds to the flavour complexity of the wine.

Context and purpose of the study. Climate change scenarios predict ever increasing frequency of drought events and coupled with disease outbreaks poses survival risks to perennial fruit crops such as grapevine.

Context and purpose of the study. Viticulture faces significant challenges due to climate change, with increased frequency of extreme weather events impacting grapevine growth, grape quality, and wine production.

In 2023–2024, the Republic of Moldova launched its first AI-powered wine pilot, integrating artificial intelligence into the vitivinicultural value chain.

Tannin and polysaccharide concentration and composition is important in defining the texture of red wines, but can vary due to factors such as cultivar, region, grape ripeness, viticultural practices and winemaking techniques. However, the concentration and composition of these macromolecules is dependent not only on grape tannin and polysaccharide concentration and composition, but also their extractability and, in the case of polysaccharides, their formation by yeast. Through studies into the influence of grape maturity, winemaking and sensory impacts of red grape polysaccharides, seed and skin tannins, recent research in our laboratory has shown that the processes involved in the extraction of these macromolecules from grapes and their retention in wine are very complex.