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

Accurate and non-destructive monitoring of grape ripening is essential for optimising harvest decisions, particularly under water stress conditions.

Brazil is historically known at the international wine market as an importer, eventhough in the last decades there was an increase in quantity and quality of the internal production. Nowadays, about 40% of fine wines comsuption of the country are national ones. The main production region is called Serra Gaúcha, where the natural conditions are heterogeneous and viticulture is develloped in small properties, mainly done by the owners family.

The ripening of grapevine berries encompasses complex morphological and physiological processes, especially at veraison. Berry shrivel (BS) is a ripening physiological disorder affecting grape berries with visible symptoms appearing short after veraison. The main symptoms of BS are a strong reduction in sugar accumulation, inhibited anthocyanin biosynthesis and high pH values. The most popular red grape cultivar in Austria “Blauer Zweigelt” (Vitis vinifera L.) is specifically prone to develop the BS ripening disorder and up to date a no specific cause or causes could be identified. Recently omics approaches have identified and characterized key processes during grapevine ripening. Among them a small subset of genes, called SWITCH, have been described as markers for the onset of the ripening process in fruits.

When someone watches a hilly landscape, the image beauty creates emotions and frames of mind not easily forgettable, but sometimes man’s intervention by means of soil movement and reduction of the natural biodiversity can significantly modify the landscape and consequently the above-mentioned emotions. One speculates if sensory appreciation of a wine may be strongly affected by psychological factor: landscape beauty.

Astringency is an important red wine quality attribute, which can be measured both chemically and sensorially. The use of tannin activity shows potential as a valuable chemical measurement in understanding red wine mouthfeel properties such as astringency and bitterness, which is also affected by tannin structural factors, in addition to matrix effects. Tannin activity is defined as the enthalpy of interaction between tannins and a hydrophobic surface. Studies involving tannin activity have been performed since the early 2010’s, but chemosensory studies used to evaluate how structure-activity relationships change across multiple, consecutive vintages are limited. The aim of this study is to investigate how tannin activity may be linked to red wine mouthfeel, and how all these variables may change according to wine age.