Taste phenotypes have long been studied in relation to alcohol intake, dependence, and family history, with contradictory findings. However, on balance - with appropriate caveats about populations tested, outcomes measured and psychophysical methods used - an association between variation in taste responsiveness and some alcohol behaviors is supported. Recent work suggests super-tasting (operationalized

A collection of 338 grapevine accessions from 24 countries planted on the estates of Bodegues Sumarroca (AOC Penedès) was genotyped with 20 microsatellite markers. A total of 294 different molecular profiles were obtained; 28 of them are presented for the first time. Twenty-six accession names are considered new synonyms and are commonly used in several regions.

Phenolic compounds play a critical role in determining red wine color, taste, flavor, and mouthfeel sensory attributes. Additionally, they contribute to wine aging and provide wine stability. This study evaluated the use of an attenuated total reflection (ATR) mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy to measure phenolic compounds in Shiraz wine samples of different quality levels obtained from 24 Australian

The availability of oxygen to a wine after bottling can have both beneficial and detrimental effects over time, which may be altered by the wine’s storage history. A Chardonnay wine underwent four different aging treatments: aged in stainless steel with and without lees and aged in oak barrels with and without lees. After six mos of aging, the wines were bottled and subjected to four levels of oxygen

The seasonal timing of biomass and nutrient distribution among different vine organs was determined over two growing seasons in four-year-old Pinot noir grapevines grown in field microplots. Vines were fertilized in spring, and biomass and nutrient contents of nine separate vine parts were measured at six phenological stages (budbreak, bloom, veraison, harvest, leaf fall, and dormancy) each year. The

A deficit irrigation trial was conducted with field-grown Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines in the Columbia Valley of southeastern Washington. Four irrigation regimes were applied in four replicated blocks to replace various fractions of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) between fruit set and harvest. These treatments were designated ET100 (100% ETc), ET70 (70% ETc), ET25 (25% ETc), and ET25/100 (25% ETc before

The influence of pruning date on yield control and ripening rate of spur-pruned Sangiovese grapevines was investigated over two years (2013 and 2014). Winter pruning was applied on 1 or 4 Feb (mid dormancy); 1 or 5 March (late dormancy); 2 or 7 April (bud swell); 2 or 7 May (flowers closely pressed together); and 1 or 6 June (40 to 50% of flower caps fallen), respectively. Vine yield and fruit composition

Climate change will require grapegrowers to develop improved viticultural practices to control vine yield and the rate of fruit maturation. The impacts of five canopy management regimens on vegetative growth, yield, and grape quality were investigated over three years, and carryover effects on vines in the fourth year were examined. Winter pruning (Wp, the control), shoot thinning (St), shoot thinning

Berry samples were collected over four growing seasons from field-grown Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines in the Columbia Valley of southeastern Washington. Shoots were tagged prior to veraison and berries were sampled weekly from the same clusters. Symptoms of berry shrivel (BS) and bunch-stem necrosis (BSN) were monitored through harvest and berry samples were categorized as "healthy," BS, or BSN for

The impact of mechanical harvesting, optical berry sorting, and their possible synergistic effect on grape and wine composition was investigated. Pinot noir grapes from the Russian River Valley American Viticultural Area were harvested by hand, by a standard bow-rod mechanical harvester, or by a mechanical harvester with a Selectiv’ Process on-board. For each harvest method, half of the grapes were

Iron (Fe) plays a key role in wine oxidation. The reduction potential of the Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple in wine conditions allows Fe(II) to react with O2 and Fe(III) to react with polyphenols with the assistance of sulfite. Copper (Cu) accelerates Fe(II) oxidation and thus can greatly accelerate wine oxidation. Some studies suggest that manganese (Mn), which is present at concentrations similar to

Grape phylloxera biotypes are defined by their specific performance on, or preference for, a particular host (e.g., feeding on a particular rootstock). Numerous studies have phenotyped phylloxera biotypes, particularly with regard to their performance on various hosts, but the results are difficult to compare because there is neither a homogenous nomenclature nor a standardized protocol for phenotyping

Fermentation has historically played an important role in the production of several commodities such as bread and alcoholic beverages. Today, fermentation is also used to produce specific flavor compounds in multiple industries. Flavor compounds are secondary metabolites produced during fermentation in addition to primary metabolites, such as ethanol. Secondary metabolism is influenced by fermentable