Enology
12 March 2025
Bioprotection using a selected strain of Metschnikowia pulcherrima as an alternative to SO2 for preventing the browning of white grape must
Enzymatic browning of grape must still represent one of the major problems in oenology today (Li et al., 2008), and is especially serious when the grapes are affected by grey rot (Ky et al., 2012). Sulphur ...
7 March 2025
Does Saccharomyces cerevisiae play a supporting role in mousy off-flavours production?
The alteration known as "mousy taint" is a resurgent deviation in certain wines, characterised by reminiscent aromas of rice cakes and sausage skins. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the microorganism responsible for ...
5 March 2025
Overcapping wax: an aesthetic or functional element
An in-depth study was carried out to assess oxygen transfer through different waxes and resins, either alone or used in combination with cork-based stoppers. The research provided the answer to a crucial question being asked ...
21 February 2025
Test-tube vinification: a methodology for high throughput oenotyping of white wines obtained from grapes harvested from single vines
Grape aroma has been a key factor in the selection of grapevine varieties for centuries (Lacombe, 2012) and remains a crucial determinant of wine quality. However, understanding grape composition alone is not ...
6 December 2024
Development of a methodology for the determination of glutathione and oxidized glutathione in wine lees and yeast derivatives
Wine lees and yeast derivatives are used in winemaking to improve and conserve organoleptic quality. Among the various quality benefits of aging white wines on lees, protection against oxidation due to the release of glutathione (GSH) has been ...
7 June 2024
Impact of whole bunch vinification on the abundance of sweetening compound astilbin
Whole-bunch vinification is a practice that can change the sensory properties of wine. Experimental wines resulting from the addition of stems in varying proportions were analyzed to quantify a sweet compound, astilbin. A significant increase ...
30 May 2024
Application of white wine lees for promoting lactic acid bacteria growth and malolactic fermentation in wine
In the context of ecological transition, the use of wine by-products for industrial applications is a major challenge. Wine lees, the second wine by-product in terms of quantity, are a source of nutrients that can be used for stimulating the ...
23 February 2024
A new enzymatic solution for prevention of quercetin precipitation in red wines
Ensuring wine quality is crucial. However, the rise in quercetin deposits in red wines, particularly those made from Sangiovese grapes, is escalating due to factors such as machine harvesting and climate change (Price et al., 1995; ...
30 January 2024
The bottleneck/cork interface: a key parameter in bottle-aging of wine
A study of changes in oxygen transfer through micro-agglomerated corks was carried out over 24 months under controlled storage conditions (Chanut et al., 2023a). This work demonstrated that the ...
12 December 2023
Simultaneous assay of mousy off-flavor markers in wine
The compounds described as being responsible for mousy off-flavor in wine are 2-acetylpyrroline (APY), 2-acetyltetrahydropyridine (ATHP) and 2-ethyltetrahydropyridine (ETHP). However, assay of these compounds is difficult due to their ...
12 December 2023
No, Brettanomyces bruxellensis is not responsible for all woes!
In wines, rice cake and sausage skin aromas are generally associated with the alteration of mousy off-flavours and constitute an increasingly prevalent deviation in some wines. In the present study microorganisms present in 25 altered wines ...
16 October 2023
Plasticity of red wine sensory profiles: improved understanding through grape berry sugar loading profiles
Reproducible aromatic red wine styles can be predicted based upon the measurement of grape berry sugar accumulation (corresponding to the quantity of sugar that accumulates per berry; mg/berry/day) and berry fresh mass. Distinct maturity ...
21 September 2023
Bioprotection as an alternative to SO2 in the pre-fermentation phase
Additives have been used in the food industry for many years, to prevent food spoilage and extend shelf life. These chemical additives are a source of controversy and their use must be reduced in the face of societal demand. In enology, this ...
12 September 2023
Assessment of the impact of chitosan treatment on microorganisms in enology
As part of the move to reduce SO2 in wines, the empirical use of chitosan to eliminate the spoilage yeast Brettanomyces bruxellensis is becoming a frequent alternative. Chitosan treatment has an effect on a number of ...
31 August 2023
Production of flavour compounds by wine yeasts is dependent on the management of their intracellular redox balance
Wine yeasts produce ethanol and a myriad of other metabolites during fermentation that give the final wine its unique organoleptic fingerprint. The complex network of metabolic pathways leading to the production of these flavour compounds is ...
11 August 2023
Influence of cationic exchange for reducing pH on the composition and quality of sparkling wine
Climate change has without any doubt an important impact on viticulture and oenology. The composition of wine is being altered due to lack of rainfall and the increase in temperatures during the grape ripening period; it is therefore becoming ...
7 July 2023
Yeast derivatives: a promising alternative for white wine oxidation prevention
In the previous decade, the use of Yeast Derivatives (YD) was proposed as a new strategy to control wine oxidation (Comuzzo et al., 2015). These products are obtained from yeasts by autolytic or hydrolytic processes and then dried to ...
24 May 2023
Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS): a promising technology for the high throughput phenotyping of grape berry volatile fingerprints
Over the last decade, there have been renewed efforts into wine grape breeding within the research community. Quick characterisation by phenotyping of quality traits, including aroma composition, remains challenging. Selected Ion Flow Tube ...
29 March 2023
Sanitisation of wine-ageing barrels using near Ultraviolet radiation
The ageing of wine in oak barrels represents a critical stage in winemaking at which product alteration can occur due to bacteria, yeasts or fungal growth. The control of microorganisms, such as yeasts of the ...
20 January 2023
Cell morphology observations for discriminating between Brettanomyces bruxellensis strains among genetic groups
It is essential to discriminate between B. bruxellensis isolates at the strain level, because stress resistance capacities are strain dependent and also related to the genetic groups (GG). In this work, we ...
5 January 2023
Flow cytometry, a sustainable method for the identification and quantification of microorganisms in enology - Part 2/2 Practical and environmental benefits of flow cytometry applied to wine microbiology
Flow cytometry (FC) coupled with the use of different markers represents an analytical tool that is fully in line with the wine sector’s requirements. This article presents the various applications of this technique ...
16 December 2022
Flow cytometry, a sustainable method for the identification and quantification of microorganisms in enology - Part 1/2 Review of the usual methods applied in wine microbiology and the principle of flow cytometry
Flow cytometry (FC) is a powerful technique for the detection, characterization and quantification of microbial populations in enology. Depending on the fluorescent markers and specific probes used, FC can provide information on the ...
17 November 2022
Impact of barrel toasting on the cognac eau-de-vie sensory profile
During barrel production, the oak undergoes several processing stages that contribute to wine and brandy flavours. The toasting step is considered to have the most important influence on oak wood chemical composition as it causes the ...
10 June 2022
A simple and effective method for the enzymatic analysis of fumaric acid in wine
The use of fumaric acid (E297) at a maximum dose of 0.6 g/L to inhibit malolactic fermentation in wines has been recently approved by International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) and by the European Union (EU). This article describes a ...
11 May 2022
Identification of enological yeasts and bacteria by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry
MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry has been adapted for use as an innovative tool for species identification of yeasts and bacteria isolated from various samples (musts, wines, beverages). Analysis of a large number of clones allows assessment of the ...