Microoxygenation (MOX) is widely used in winemaking. Its impact, however, on Pinot Noir wines has not been well documented. We investigated the influence of MOX on colour parameters and on the anthocyanin and polymeric pigment concentration of a young Pinot Noir wine. The relationship between MOX, yeast growth and acetaldehyde production was also explored.

Terpenes are major varietal aroma compounds significantly contributing to wine quality and style. Autochthonous microbial starters can promote the formation and release of the terpenes and thus highlight the terroir typicality of wines. This study compared the physicochemical parameters, changes in the terpene concentration, β-D-glucosidase activity and sensory attributes of Chardonnay wines fermented

Climate change is modifying grape berry composition and affecting wine quality and typicity. We evaluated the effects of leaf-to-fruit ratio and exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) application on the accumulation of primary and secondary metabolites in berries, in order to optimise climate change adaptation strategies.

Environmental effects of global warming are leading to extended ripening seasons, which may either require or allow new vineyard management techniques. An innovative double-cropping technique is proposed for temperate climate areas.

The characterisation of plant microbiomes using metabarcoding strategies is expected to be progressively replaced by shotgun metagenomic (SMg) approaches. In the present report we explore the potential of applying SMg to grapevine leaf, rhizosphere and soil samples.

Reduced rainfall during vine dormancy and supplementary irrigation during winter or at spring impact on vine growth partitioning. We assess the implications that induced changes on canopy growth due to soil moisture availability in spring have on fruit and wine composition.

Wine is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages consumed by humans and its price is related to the product and quality status. The aim of this study was to investigate whether specific volatile compounds could be used as indicators of authenticity and adulteration with water.

The interactive effects of simulated 2100 environmental conditions (air temperature and CO2 level) and water deficit (WD) on four clones of Vitis vinifera cv. Tempranillo were investigated.

Identifying the genes that participate in the sweetness and acidity of the berry is key, because these traits are quintessential to the flavour and quality of fresh grapes and wine. In this study we focused on the identification of genomic regions that host genes associated with sweetness and acidity in tablegrapes.

The presence of matter other than grapes (MOG) is common in the winemaking process when sorting equipment is not utilised. Experimental wines were made to examine the effect of MOG on the sensory profile and chemical composition of wine.

Shiraz is the most widely planted winegrape cultivar in Australia. Sensory studies have indicated that different grapegrowing regions in Australia produce distinct styles of Shiraz wines that differ in flavour characteristics. The current project aimed to characterise the underlying volatile composition associated with regional Shiraz wine styles.

Virus detection is essential in programs in which virus-tested plants are required. The aim of this study was to establish in vitro biological methods for indexing grapevine leafroll-associated virus-3 (GLRaV-3) in red- and white-berried grapevines.

Leaf senescence induces a massive shift of the nitrogen (N) allocation within plants, but its influence on the storage of yeast-assimilable N (YAN) in grapevine berries is unclear. The aim of this work was to investigate whether the YAN concentration in grape must can be increased by a targeted induction of leaf senescence.

Regional characters or the ‘terroir’ aspects of Shiraz are not well understood. This study aimed to characterise the chemical composition of wines from sites within six important Australian regions, and the climate profiles of the sites, and to determine how they relate to sensory differences.

Grape temperature changes attuned to day and night machine harvesting were investigated with respect to varietal thiol potential.

Tissue nutrient concentration is useful for determining vine nutritional status and managing vineyard nutrition. Current Australian guidelines are based on the analysis of petioles at flowering and leaf blades at veraison, sampled adjacent to the basal inflorescence and bunch. The comparative value of these two tissue types and that of the bunchstem for assessing plant nutrient status at the two phenological

Polyfunctional mercaptans, such as 3‐mercaptohexanol and 3‐mercaptohexyl acetate, produce passion‐fruit, tropical and stalky aromas in white wines such as Vitis vinifera L. Sauvignon Blanc. Oxidation processes, however, can be detrimental to the formation and stability of these desirable thiol compounds. The use of antioxidants during winemaking is most important to protect polyfunctional mercaptans

The wine producers of Margaret River, as in many Australian wine regions, are interested in gaining a better understanding of the terroir of their region. Our aim was to determine whether the variation in soils and climate suggests that subdivision of the region may have merit.

Aeration during fermentation of red wines has the potential to enhance positive red fruit attributes and suppress less desirable reductive characteristics. The implementation of aeration in commercial winemaking, however, is impeded by the lack of a clear understanding of both the major benefits of its use and the nature of the aeration regimes required to modify the finished product. This work aimed

Salinity, which is predominantly an issue for agricultural systems in arid and semi‐arid regions, has the potential to impair grape production and wine quality, and its impact on the grape and wine industries is predicted to increase with climate change. Research on the physiological and molecular changes that occur in salt‐affected vines has unveiled complex osmotic and ionic responses that include

This review focuses on the considerable amount of research directed at defining microbial diversity in the vineyard and the subsequent contribution to uninoculated fermentations, with an emphasis on the effect of fungicide applications. From this research it is clear that there are many factors affecting diversity in the vineyard including: sprays, climate, location and grape‐derived parameters. With

This study explored changes in the profile of selected aroma compounds in individual berries during development to establish whether a correlation exists between aroma compounds and sugar. Previous studies have assessed changes in the aroma compounds of ripening grapes using multiple berries randomly pooled together or sorted according to their diameter, density or colour. These data, while of value

Red wine quality is determined greatly by phenolic substances whose presence relies on extraction of grape skins and seeds during fermentation. Monitoring phenolic behaviour is beneficial for fermentation management because of the importance of maceration during red winemaking and its influence on phenolics that contribute to predominant red wine characteristics, such as colour, flavour and mouthfeel

Exogenously applied nitric oxide (NO) and abscisic acid (ABA) are known to improve the tolerance of plants to abiotic stress. The effects of NO and ABA applications on physiological and metabolic responses associated with vine protection against water stress were analysed.

The use of non-Saccharomyces yeast strains as starter cultures for wine production has become increasingly popular, particularly due to their positive effect on wine composition, colour, aroma and flavour. Here, we characterise the volatile aroma composition and the sensory profile of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon wines produced with novel active dry yeast preparations of Metschnikowia pulcherrima

Glutathione (GSH), a strong antioxidant naturally present in grape berries and produced by yeasts during fermentation, can be added by winemakers to control oxidative deterioration of wine. A promising approach is the inoculation of starter or co-starter yeasts that are strong producers of GSH in situ. Since little is known about this activity in non-Saccharomyces yeasts, the aim of this research was

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) has the advantages of sensitivity, specificity and repeatability, and is commonly used to investigate the expression levels of genes. The selection of appropriate endogenous reference genes is the pre-condition for acquiring the desired results of qRT-PCR. This study aimed to identify and screen the most suitable reference genes for grapevines

The major phenological events, such as harvest, are critical periods in the wine business calendar requiring much planning and organisation of resources, yet anticipation of the timing of these events is still imprecise. The aims of this study were to better understand why grape maturity (defined here as the day of the year the grapes reached 11.5 Bé) is advancing, and how different cultivars and regions

There is evidence that some species can withstand a stress event better when experienced previously. This capacity could help to increase stress tolerance and resilience under recurrent stresses. To test the effect of a previous season drought imprint on the tolerance to a subsequent drought event, we compared the growth and physiological performance of young cv. Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines growing

X‐ray micro computed tomography (micro‐CT) is a non‐destructive 3D imaging technique that has been applied to plant morphology and anatomical studies to gain a better understanding of physiological phenomena in vivo. It is particularly useful for imaging voids in undisturbed fragile tissues and therefore may be applied to the delicate flowers and soft berries of Vitis vinifera. The characterisation

Viticulture is facing emerging challenges not only because of the effect of climate change on yield and composition of grapes, but also of a social demand for environmental‐friendly agricultural management. Adaptation to these challenges is essential to guarantee the sustainability of viticulture. The aim of this review is to present adaptation possibilities from the soil‐hidden, and often disregarded

Viticultural practices are needed to counteract widespread, deleterious effects of warming on fruit and wine attributes. Late pruning is an effective tool to delay fruit ripening and improve berry and wine attributes, but the interaction between late pruning and elevated ambient temperature on wine chemical and sensory properties is unknown. We thus investigated the effect of delayed pruning, warming

Some studies bring different visions of innovation among the stakeholders of the wine sector; however, there is a gap in our understanding of the characteristics of and the relationship between the ecosystem and the stakeholders. This study aims to identify and measure critical success factors (CSFs) of the wine innovation ecosystem.

This study compared changes in the concentration of ρ‐coumaric acid in wine because of enzymatic hydrolysis of ρ‐coutaric acid by Oenocococcus oeni with that of chemical hydrolysis during ageing.

The trunk disease Eutypa dieback causes financial losses in grapegrowing. The influence of two pruning methods, namely cane and spur pruning, on the incidence and severity of Eutypa dieback in Shiraz grapevines was investigated as pruning wounds are a major point of entry for the causal agent Eutypa lata.

Climate change is advancing grapevine phenology, decoupling berry technological and phenolic maturity. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of late winter pruning for delaying grape ripening.

The flavonoid composition of grapes and wine was determined in transgenic grapevines with altered expression of the tannin synthesis genes anthocyanidin reductase (ANR) and leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LAR).

The aim of this work was to study the effect of two Patagonian malolactic starters, Oenococcus oeni UNQOe 73.2 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum UNQLp 11, on the wine composition and sensory perception after MLF of Pinot Noir wine.

In recent years, alternative fining practices have increasingly been adopted by the wine industry. The use of plant proteins, as alternatives to traditional fining agents of animal origin for clarification, meets the expectations of a safe product. The effect of alternative fining practices was studied in Sangiovese wine.

Wine encapsulates the expression of multiple inputs – from the vineyard location and environment to viticultural and winemaking practices – collectively known as terroir. Each of these inputs influence a wine's chemical composition and sensory traits, which vary depending on cultivar as well as provenance. These aspects underpin the overall concept of wine typicity, an important notion that enables

Precipitation of unstable proteins present in white wine after bottling can cause cloudiness, which is generally considered commercially unacceptable. Winemakers therefore use bentonite to remove protein prior to bottling, however, this can result in losses of wine volume and/or sensory quality. As such, there is interest in alternate strategies for protein stabilisation. This study evaluated the potential

The wine industry widely acknowledges that grape heterogeneity exists throughout any given vineyard at the time of harvest. There is a lack of understanding, however, of the effects that heterogeneity has on wine composition and sensory qualities. This study compared the chemical composition and sensory attributes of wines produced using parcels of grapes with known heterogeneity.

The grape ripening disorder called berry shrivel is characterised by cessation of sugar accumulation, low pH, impaired anthocyanin biosynthesis in dark-skinned cultivars and water loss. We tested whether damage to the bunch peduncle vasculature can induce berry shrivel and whether cell death in the rachis precedes cell death in the berries.

Abundant wild grape resources are distributed in China and are rich in anthocyanins, but the systematic analysis and evaluation of the anthocyanin composition in different species of Chinese wild grapes have been little studied. We investigated the interspecific polymorphism of anthocyanins in Chinese wild grapes.

Winemakers utilise various remediation strategies for decreasing ‘reductive’ characters in wine. Remediation strategies, such as the addition of diammonium phosphate (DAP) during fermentation, copper fining, the addition of fresh lees or lees products to wine, and aeration of the must during and after fermentation, are commonly employed in an effort to prevent the formation or to remove undesirable

Biogenic amines are compounds produced mainly by microorganisms from the decarboxylation of some amino acids which may cause several health issues in susceptible people. In the winemaking process, one of the factors with the greatest impact on the final concentration of biogenic amines in wine is the malolactic fermentation, which mainly involves the action of lactic acid bacteria. This article gathers

A region's suitability for viticulture is commonly categorised by thermal‐based bioclimatic indices during the growing season, of which the growing season temperature (GST) is the most widely used. Growing season temperature thresholds, however, were developed for a specific region and therefore may not translate to other established wine regions, including Australia. This paper aims to investigate

The Chardonnay clone Gingin was imported into Western Australia in 1957 and has become one of Australia's oldest recognised Chardonnay clones. While its phenotypic similarity to other Chardonnay clones has been noted, its origins and relatedness to these clones remains a mystery. This study builds on previous Chardonnay clonal marker research to uncover the origins of Gingin.

The effect of global warming on grape ripening has led to the development of strategies for delaying sugar accumulation. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the application of the film‐forming anti‐transpirant di‐1‐p‐menthene on the berry ripening of Sangiovese grapevines with different crop loads.

The concentration of free trans‐resveratrol in wine is expected to increase with storage because of hydrolysis of piceid (a bound form of resveratrol). This study measured resveratrol concentration in 16 Australasian red wines ranging from 1 to 6 years old, both initially and after a storage period of 16 months under ambient conditions.

Ozonated water has been used in vineyards to reduce the use of pesticides because of its presumed efficacy in the control of fungal diseases and the absence of residues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ozonated water treatments on the composition of grapes.

Optimising the treatment and reuse of winery wastewater (WWW) can have positive environmental significance. Estimating the concentration of various organic compounds, nutrients, and metals via correlations with easily determined parameters could provide a rapid and cost‐effective method of characterising WWW and allow real‐time process adjustments to optimise the process performance.

The importance of indoor environmental conditions in a cellar is well known and continuously investigated. The process of wine ageing consists of several steps, during which temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) play a fundamental role as the quality of the final product is strongly related to stable and suitable environmental conditions. Critical factors, such as mould growth or wine evaporation

Red tablegrapes may fail to develop adequate berry colour. To correct this, abscisic acid and ethephon are applied; however, little is known about the possibility of brassinosteroids (BRs) to improve berry colour. Thus, a commercial BR formulation was tested in two commercial vineyards of Redglobe and Crimson Seedless in order to evaluate its effectiveness for improving berry colour.

The authors would like to draw the reader's attention to an error in the following article: Xin, B., Liu, S. and Whitty, M. (2020) Three‐dimensional reconstruction of Vitis vinifera (L.) cvs Pinot Noir and Merlot grape bunch frameworks using a restricted reconstruction grammar based on the stochastic L‐system. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 26(3), 207–219. https://doi:10.1111/ajgw.12444

Background and Aims Wines that exhibit regional characters are often the most sought after and the highest valued wines available in the marketplace. This study evaluated the sensory properties that were regionally distinctive for Australian Shiraz wines. Methods and Results Sets of wines (22–28 wines) from six prominent Australian Shiraz‐producing regions were initially evaluated by groups of local

Background and Aims: Simple methods for determining Cu forms in wine do not currently exist. This study demonstrates the relevance of measuring a specific fraction of Cu in wine, and introduces simplified methods for its measurement utilising either colorimetry, or filtration in combination with routine measures of total Cu in wine. Methods and Results: Electrochemically detectable Cu provided a threshold

An understanding of the dynamics of the components of evapotranspiration and irrigation requirements in response to climate variation and change is essential to manage vineyards sustainably.

Declining autumn and winter rainfall increasingly limits soil moisture availability at the onset of the growing season in southern Australia. We studied the consequences of reduced rainfall during dormancy on vine growth, and explored irrigation strategies to maintain yield following dry winters.

Phenotypic traits of grape bunches are known to be related with grapevine yield, wine flavour and sensitivity to disease. Aiming to solve a phenotypic bottleneck in current breeding studies as well as to improve the performance of phenotypic tools, we put forward a combination of grammar‐based reconstruction and vision‐based reconstruction, and propose an empirical reconstruction grammar restricted