Smoke tainted wine – what now?

Ampelography is aimed at describing the vine according to several characteristics, such as morphology, agronomic aptitudes, technological potential, and genetics. The description of varieties and species of vitis has long been the subject of numerous scientific and technical studies by eminent specialists for a long time, which have led the OIV to publish in 1983 the “descriptor list for grape varieties and vitis species”, a milestone among the OIV worldwide recognised codes.

Climate changes and the trend towards organic and more sustainable winemaking highlighted the need to use biological methodologies. The reduction in the use of SO2, the need of the reduction of ethanol content of wines and the now need to reduce or eliminate chemical phytosanitary products, have prompted the search for alternative practices.

The use of the term bioprotection in winemaking refers to the use of non-chemical methods to prevent the development of undesirable microorganisms (yeasts and/or bacteria). The reason for studying this method is mainly as a natural alternative to the addition of sulfites during the pre-fermentation stages. In winemaking, the addition of s02 has multiple functions, the main ones being antiseptic and antioxidant power.

With growing consumer interest in products without chemical additives, limiting the use of sulfites is a priority for the wine industry. Bioprotection is a biological alternative that avoids or reduces the risks of alterations that have a negative impact on the organoleptic quality of wines and, ultimately, on their acceptability to consumers. bioprotection can also provide a response to the risks of microbiological deviations, which are increased both by climate change and by the organization of harvesting operations, which increasingly include the use of multi-bins filled at the vine, exposing the harvest to sometimes high temperatures for longer periods of time.

The biodiversity of cultivated vines has been significantly reduced due to a series of factors that have favoured the cultivation of a limited number of varieties and clones over time. In veneto, since 1980, a series of important actions have been implemented to counter this process. These actions have focused on the conservation of germplasm identified in the territory and the recovery of varieties historically present in the region, which were in danger of being abandoned and disappearing.