Oxidative stability is a critical factor in wine shelf-life. SO₂ is commonly added to wine due to its strong antioxidant activity, although there is a general push to reduce SO₂ use in vinification.
Oxygen management in wine is one of the most significant challenging issues for winemakers.
The addition of sulphur dioxide (SO2) is the method traditionally used for wine stabilisation, due to its broad spectrum of action against unwanted microorganisms and its ability to prevent oxidative phenomena.
Flavescence dorée (FD) poses a significant threat to grapevine health, with the American grapevine leafhopper, Scaphoideus titanus, serving as the primary vector.
The exploitation of food by-products has garnered significant attention over the past few decades, particularly within the framework of the European Green Deal.
The wide diffusion of organic cultivation of vineyards and the need to reduce the use of pesticides highlights the urgent need for alternative and sustainable methods of vine protection by pathogen molds.
The wine industry, a key sector for the European Union’s economy, exhibits significant energy consumption, amounting to approximately 1,750 million kWh annually within this geographic context, with major contributions from Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal (Fuentes Pila et al., 2015).
Disease-resistant hybrid grape cultivars (DRHGCs) are hybrids of Vitis vinifera varieties with other Vitis species, and they are endowed with greater resistance to specific fungal diseases, enabling a potential reduction in the application of pesticides in the vineyard.
Alcoholic fermentation plays a crucial role in the winemaking process. In addition to producing ethanol, it results in the formation of various secondary metabolites that significantly influence the wine’s characteristics.
Rapid processing of grapes after harvest has always been considered essential for achieving a balanced sensory wine profile.
Organic wine production and consumption is one of the sustainable practices contributing to a number of sustainable development goals (SDGs).
To limit the acceleration of global warming we need to reduce greenhouse gases emissions (GHG), making our production processes more carbon-efficient and optimizing absorptions.
With 0.3 to 0.7 kg CO2eq per 0.75 L wine, the glass bottle is the main contributor to the carbon footprint of a bottle of wine.
Global grape production amounts to approximately 70 million tons per year, with Europe contributing 61% of the world’s wine output, primarily from Italy, France, and Spain.
This paper investigates sustainability in European wineries. The growing body of literature on the subject of sustainability underlines the increasing attention on the environmental and social impacts of intensive and irresponsible wine production.
Winemaking generates significant amounts of by-products, such as grape pomace and wine lees, which are primarily used for distillation and composting.
Temperature fluctuations can significantly affect the chemical composition of wine and in turn its taste and aromas.
Sustainability is a key focus in viticulture, where managing abiotic and biotic stress presents a major challenge.