Expertise documents

Berry skin thickness: a Key factor for grapegrowers and winemakers

LalVigne under Investigation #2

Skin plays a fundamental role for the grape composition and wine quality along with the viticulture and winemaking processes, as they are the most important source of aroma and polyphenol compounds. Thickness is one of the most important grape skin morphological characteristics affecting the gas exchange regulation, berry susceptibility to fungal diseases and resistance to mechanical injuries. Skins and seeds parameters are crucial for a complete grape ripening that cannot be described solely by the berry pulp chemical parameters. These compounds from the solid parts may ripen differently when compared to pulp parameters and need to be extracted during the wine making process; the maceration stage is determinant in obtaining the secondary metabolites from skins and seeds, especially for red wine production. UI Vineyard Solution #2 2020  

Biological tools in the vineyard to improve varietal expression

LalVigne under Investigation #1

In the context of current viticulture, the change observed in the climatic records of the last decades, with the rise in temperatures and the unusual rainfall distribution, is challenging for wine growers and winemakers to getting balanced grapes and wines, as these changes are leading to growing differences between technological maturity and aromatic and phenolic maturations. In order to face these changes, wine growers try to apply agronomic practices that can counteract these effects. Often these practices are not selective and have unwanted effects on different parameters of production or quality of the grapes. UI Vineyard Solutions #1 2020  

The crucial step for a successful alcoholic fermentation in wine – Wine Yeast Rehydration

Proper wine yeast  rehydration is necessary because grape must is a very hostile environment with its low acidity, high sugar and osmotic pressure, and nutrients or micronutrients limitations is a big challenge for any yeast to conduct AF. Quality, fault free wine is related to a successful AF, and that comes with taking good care of your dry wine yeast.  The Under Investigation explains why and how, and how rehydrating your yeast is key, and especially with a protector like Go-Ferm Protect Evolution. UI Protection and Rehydration ENG VUSA

Biocontrol agents against Brettanomyces

The contaminating yeast Brettanomyces is a problem, notably for red wines. This yeast is very opportunistic and can survive and multiply in difficult conditions throughout the life of the wine. Hygienic conditions and microbiological controls can inhibit its growth, but will not eliminate it. The goal then is to limit its development, which will in turn limit the production of volatile phenols. The use of SO2 is the preferred method to control its development, however there is a recent trend to reduce the use of SO2 in wine, as well as a general increase in wine pH, which reduces its efficacy. Moreover, there is a great variability in the resistance of SO2 among different Brettanomyces yeasts. The inoculation with our selected natural bacteria is a good option to protect the wine during the fermentation process, and new studies also show their potential to protect wine during the ageing steps against Brettanomyces re-contamination UI #4 Biocontrol MLB ENG

Optimal wine yeast nutrition with Stimula Chardonnay™ for maximum aromatic expression in Chardonnay wines

Wine yeasts are able to produce volatile aroma compounds from precursors found in the grape musts. Despite this ability, the wine yeast needs an adapted nutrition management (type of nutrient and timing of addition) that will maximize this secondary metabolism. Work done in collaboration with INRA (Montpellier, France) has shown that the type of nutrient, and the timing of addition during alcoholic fermentation has an important impact on the production of fermentative aroma compounds. Stimula Chardonnay™ has been shown to maximize specific aroma compounds in Chardonnay wines UI Stimula Chardonnay 2019 - ENG