Applications of an oak extract on Petit Verdot grapevines. Influence on grape and wine volatile compounds

Applying rosemary extract and caffeic acid to modify the composition of Monastrell wines

This work studies the effect of applying rosemary extract and caffeic acid on the polyphenolic and aromatic composition of Monastrell wines, as well as the influence of traditional winemaking or incorporating prefermentative maceration. For this purpose, three treatments were carried out in triplicate. In one of them, rosemary extract was applied on the clusters 10 days before harvest, caffeic acid was applied in the same way in another, and, finally, this acid was applied to grape before crushing. Each treatment was run by both traditional vinification and vinification with prefermentative maceration. After making wines, they were monitored for 12 months after fermentation. The application of rosemary extract, and that of caffeic acid but to a lesser extent, increased the color, the concentration of anthocyanins, and the percentage of polymerized anthocyanins, while prefermentation maceration gave rise to wines with a higher concentration of condensed tannins and polyphenols. Applying rosemary extract and caffeic acid in the vineyard also increased the concentration of esters and other compounds that favor wine aromatic quality, which was also enhanced by prefermentative maceration.

Biogenic volatile organic compounds in the grapevine response to pathogens, beneficial microorganisms, resistance inducers, and abiotic factors

The synthesis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in plants is triggered in response to external stimuli, and these compounds can migrate to distal tissues and neighbouring receivers. Although grapevine VOCs responsible for wine aroma and plant-insect communications are well characterized, functional properties of VOCs produced in response to phytopathogens, beneficial microorganisms, resistance inducers, and abiotic factors have been less studied. In this review, we focused on the emission patterns and potential biological functions of VOCs produced by grapevines in response to stimuli. Specific grapevine VOCs are emitted in response to the exogenous stimulus, suggesting their precise involvement in plant defence response. VOCs with inhibitory activities against pathogens and responsible for plant resistance induction are reported, and some of them can also be used as biomarkers of grapevine resistance. Likewise, VOCs produced in response to beneficial microorganisms and environmental factors are possible mediators of grapevine-microbe communications and abiotic stress tolerance. Although further functional studies may improve our knowledge, the existing literature suggests that VOCs have an underestimated potential application as pathogen inhibitors, resistance inducers against biotic or abiotic stresses, signalling molecules, membrane stabilizers, and modulators of reactive oxygen species. VOC patterns could also be used to screen for resistant traits or to monitor the plant physiological status.

Review of the Effects of Grapevine Smoke Exposure and Technologies to Assess Smoke Contamination and Taint in Grapes and Wine

Grapevine smoke exposure and the subsequent development of smoke taint in wine has resulted in significant financial losses for grape growers and winemakers throughout the world. Smoke taint is characterized by objectional smoky aromas such as “ashy”, “burning rubber”, and “smoked meats”, resulting in wine that is unpalatable and hence unprofitable. Unfortunately, current climate change models predict a broadening of the window in which bushfires may occur and a rise in bushfire occurrences and severity in major wine growing regions such as Australia, Mediterranean Europe, North and South America, and South Africa. As such, grapevine smoke exposure and smoke taint in wine are increasing problems for growers and winemakers worldwide. Current recommendations for growers concerned that their grapevines have been exposed to smoke are to conduct pre-harvest mini-ferments for sensory assessment and send samples to a commercial laboratory to quantify levels of smoke-derived volatiles in the wine. Significant novel research is being conducted using spectroscopic techniques coupled with machine learning modeling to assess grapevine smoke contamination and taint in grapes and wine, offering growers and winemakers additional tools to monitor grapevine smoke exposure and taint rapidly and non-destructively in grapes and wine.

Grapevine Cane Extracts: Raw Plant Material, Extraction Methods, Quantification, and Applications

Grapevine canes are viticulture waste that is usually discarded without any further use. However, recent studies have shown that they contain significant concentrations of health-promoting compounds, such as stilbenes, secondary metabolites of plants produced as a response to biotic and abiotic stress from fungal disease or dryness. Stilbenes have been associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties and they have been tested as potential treatments of cardiovascular and neurological diseases, and even cancer, with promising results. Stilbenes have been described in the different genus of the Vitaceae family, the Vitis genera being one of the most widely studied due to its important applications and economic impact around the world. This review presents an in-depth study of the composition and concentration of stilbenes in grapevine canes. The results show that the concentration of stilbenes in grapevine canes is highly influenced by the Vitis genus and cultivar aspects (growing conditions, ultraviolet radiation, fungal attack, etc.). Different methods for extracting stilbenes from grapevine canes have been reviewed, and the extraction conditions have also been studied, underlining the advantages and disadvantages of each technique. After the stilbenes were extracted, they were analyzed to determine the stilbene composition and concentration. Analytical techniques have been employed with this aim, in most cases using liquid chromatography, coupled with others such as mass spectrometry and/or nuclear magnetic resonance to achieve the individual quantification. Finally, stilbene extracts may be applied in multiple fields based on their properties. The five most relevant are preservative, antifungal, insecticide, and biostimulant applications. The current state-of-the-art of the above applications and their prospects are discussed.

An overview of plant-based natural biostimulants for sustainable horticulture with a particular focus on moringa leaf extracts

The horticulture sector is facing various challenges in the near future. Aside from maintaining or even improving yields, sustainable horticulture production is crucial to achieve food security. Reducing the reliance on agro-chemicals and/or increasing the efficiency of use under a changing climate is crucial. Natural biostimulants can play an important role in this regard, increasing production at a relatively low cost sustainably. Natural biostimulant feedstocks include leaf, root or seed extracts, either individually or in combination with others. Their positive effect on horticultural production is mostly due to plant growth-enhancing bioactive compounds such as phytohormones, amino acids, and nutrients. Here we review recent progress made in research and applications on plant-derived extracts with an emphasis on the use of these renewable biochemicals as biostimulants in sustainable horticulture. Moringa leaf extracts in particular have been shown to improve seed germination, plant growth and yield, nutrient use efficiency, crop and product quality traits (pre- and post-harvest), as well as tolerance to abiotic stresses. Although horticulture production relies on synthetic fertilisers to maintain and improve production, the use of plant-derived biostimulants such as moringa leaf extracts may be an option to reduce quantities needed and thus contribute in achieving global food security sustainably.

Implications of Aging Quality of Oak Shaving on Kyoho Wine Immersed with Residue of Cabernet Sauvignon

In order to study effect of oak sawdust on the quality of Kyoho wine immersed by fermented Cabernet Sauvignon residual, Kyoho wine aged without oak sawdust (KWO), including KWO1 and KWO2 according to immersed orders by fermented Cabernet Sauvignon residual, was taken as control to compare the effect of oak sawdust on quality of Kyoho wine (KO), including KO1 and KO2 according to aged orders by oak sawdust. During the 15 days of aging, physical and chemical indicators, such as chroma, tonality, and total phenol in wine were determined simultaneously by using a spectrophotometer, including tannin content by KMnO4 titration, once every 3 days. The results showed that the chromaticities of Kyoho wine were 3.21, 3.02, 4.46, and 3.71 for KO1, KO2, KWO1, and KWO2, respectively. Similarly, the hues were in turn 0.73, 0.68, 0.97, and 0.72, respectively. Tannin contents were 1601.5 mg/L, 1517.3 mg/L, 337.2 mg/L, and 115.6 mg/L; total phenol contents were 277.67 mg/L, 222.1 mg/L, 64 mg/L, and 79.8 mg/L. Therefore, the contents of tannin and total phenol from KO1 wine were all the highest values. The chroma and tone of the four types of wine showed an upward trend of “S.” The chromaticity and tone were the lowest for the KO2 wine and the highest for the KWO1 wine with the larger difference between KO2 and KWO1.

Impact of agronomic practices on grape aroma composition: a review

Aroma compounds are secondary metabolites that play a key role in grape quality for enological purposes. Terpenes, C₁₃ -norisoprenoids, phenols, and non-terpenic alcohols are the most important aroma compounds in grapes and they can be found as free volatiles or glycoconjugated (bound) molecules. The non-volatile glycosylated group is the largest, and it is present in all varieties of Vitis vinifera (L.), the most widely used species for wine production. These aroma precursors represent the reserve of aroma molecules that can be released during winemaking. Their relative and absolute concentrations at fruit ripening determine the organoleptic value of the final product. A large range of biotic and abiotic factors can influence their biosynthesis in several ways. Agronomic practices such as irrigation, training systems, leaf removal, and bunch thinning can have an effect at plant level. The spraying of stimulatory compounds on fruit at different developmental stages has also been shown to modify metabolic pathways at fruit level with some impact on the aroma composition of the grapevine fruit. Viticulturists could act to promote aroma precursors to improve the aromatic profile of grapes and the wine ultimately produced. However, agronomic practices do not always have uniform results. The metabolic and physiological changes resulting from agronomic practices are unknown because there has not been sufficient research to date. This review presents the state of the art regarding the influences of vineyard agronomic management on the biosynthesis of grape aroma compounds. Although literature regarding the topic is abundant there are still many unknown biological mechanisms involved and/or that have been insufficiently studied. The aim of this work is therefore to find the gaps in scientific literature so that future investigations can focus on them. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

The Microvine, a plant model to study the effect of vine-shoot extract on the accumulation of glycosylated aroma precursors in grapes

BACKGROUND

The Microvine plant model displays unique reproductive organ behavior and is suitable for grapevine fruit physiological studies, allowing one to undertake studies up to five times more rapidly than the current situation with grapevines. Recently, vine-shoot aqueous extracts, which have an interesting phenolic and aroma composition, have been proposed as viticultural biostimulants, since their post-veraison foliar application to grapevines impacts the wine aroma profile. Using Microvines, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of vine-shoot extract foliar application on 21 stages of grape development. The application was carried out from BBCH 53 (inflorescences clearly visible) to BBCH 85 (softening of berries) to reveal stage-specific responses of the accumulation of glycosylated aroma precursors at BBCH 89 (berries ripe for harvest), the phenological stage selected to study the treatment effect.

RESULTS

Microvine use made it possible to carry out 15 sampling time points during 86 days of the experiment, which were established by the cumulative degree days (CDD) parameter. The results confirmed that vine-shoot extract treatment had a positive impact on total glycosylated compounds, especially aglycones such as alcohols, terpenes and C₁₃ -norisoprenoids, with a higher effect when the treatment was applied during ripening.

CONCLUSION

Extrapolation of the results to grapevines suggests that vine-shoot extract treatment could modulate the synthesis of grape glycosylated aroma precursors. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Influence of foliar riboflavin applications to vineyard on grape amino acid content

Nitrogen is an important element for grapevine and winemaking, which affects plant development, grape juice fermentation and has a potential effect in modulating wine quality. The aim was to study the influence of foliar applications of riboflavin (vitamin B2) to vineyard on grape nitrogen composition. This vitamin has a reported capacity to protect different plant species, but its application to favor grape and grape juice quality had not previously been studied. This work reports the oenological properties and the effect on amino acid concentration of grape juices obtained from grapes treated with riboflavin at two different doses compared to control. Results showed that probable alcohol, malic acid, color intensity and hue had significant differences when the riboflavin treatments were applied. Most of the amino acids presented the highest concentrations when the lowest riboflavin dose was used. These results are promising in terms of fermentation development and grape juice nitrogen composition.

Moscatel vine-shoot extracts as a grapevine biostimulant to enhance wine quality

Non-aromatic vine-shoot extracts (Airén) has been recently proposed as "viticultural biostimulants" when applied to grapevine. In this paper, the application of extracts from non-toasted (MVS) and toasted (MVS_Toasted) vine-shoots from the well-known aromatic variety such Moscatel were applied on Airén grapevine leaves, observing an increased for grape yield and wines with a lower alcohol degree. All wines at the end of the alcoholic fermentation were characterized by their fruity and floral descriptors, especially MVS wines; and 4 months later, MSV and MVS_Toasted wines surprised by their higher spicy notes, which correspond with the highest OAVs values for compounds such as norisoprenoids (β-damascenone), vanillin derivatives (vanillin, acetovanillone) and volatile phenols (guaiacol, syringol), compared to control wine. Wine phenolic composition was affected positively over all by MVS in case of phenolic acids. These results confirm that Moscatel vine-shoot extracts foliar application into Airén non-aromatic grapevines produce an interesting enhance on wine quality.

Oenological and Quality Characteristic on Young White Wines (Sauvignon Blanc): Effects of High Hydrostatic Pressure Processing

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) has shown to have an effect of enhancing some properties without detrimental effects on important quality characteristics, such as colour, pH, and turbidity. This suggests that this technique can be used as an alternative to the existing methods used in wine industry processing. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of HHP on aroma compounds and also sensory and quality properties of young white wine. HHP treatment did not influence physicochemical parameters, total phenols, and flavonoid contents of white wine; however, the results from analysis of wine indicate that there was a great variation in the concentration of free and total sulphur dioxide (SO2) values and antioxidant capacity of white wine after HHP application. The sensory attributes, such as taste, odour, and overall quality, were not affected by HHP processing at 300 MPa. The chromatic characteristics changed slightly after applying HHP, but these changes could not be visually perceived because they were less than 5%. The use of this technique has the potential to decrease the amount of SO2 added to raw grapes thus maintaining the same properties found in untreated wine. This study provided valuable insights into the biochemical and sensory composition of commercial white wine and how this might change during HHP processing.

Accumulation of guaiacol glycoconjugates in fruit, leaves and shoots of Vitis vinifera cv. Monastrell following foliar applications of guaiacol or oak extract to grapevines

Previous studies have shown that volatile compounds present within a vineyard during the growing season can be absorbed by grapevines, assimilated within grapes, and then released during fermentation to influence the final aroma of wine. For example, the accumulation of volatile phenols in glycoconjugate forms following grapevine exposure to bushfire smoke, and their subsequent release during winemaking. This study investigated the accumulation of guaiacol glycoconjugates in the fruit, shoots and leaves of Monastrell grapevines following foliar applications (at veraison) of either an aqueous solution of guaiacol or an aqueous oak extract. Fruit, shoot and leaf samples were then collected at 3 time points between veraison and maturity, and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, to quantify guaiacol and its glycoconjugates, respectively. Guaiacol glycoconjugates were observed in fruit and leaves in particular, demonstrating glycosylation occurred after grapevine treatment; however, different glycoconjugate profiles were apparent.

Accumulation of Glycoconjugates of 3-Methyl-4-hydroxyoctanoic Acid in Fruits, Leaves, and Shoots of Vitis vinifera cv. Monastrell following Foliar Applications of Oak Extract or Oak Lactone

Grapevines are capable of absorbing volatile compounds present in the vineyard during the growing season, and in some cases, volatiles have been found to accumulate in fruits or leaves in glycoconjugate forms, that is, with one or more sugar moieties attached. The presence of oak lactone in wine is usually attributable to oak maturation, but oak lactone has been detected in wines made with fruit from grapevines treated with oak extract or oak lactone. This study investigated the accumulation of glycoconjugates of 3-methyl-4-hydroxyoctanoic acid (i.e., the ring-opened form of oak lactone) in the fruits, leaves, and shoots of Monastrell grapevines following foliar application of either oak extract or oak lactone at approximately 7 days postveraison. Fruits, leaves, and shoots were collected at three different time points, including at maturity. The oak lactone content of fruit was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, with declining concentrations observed in fruit from grapevines treated with oak lactone with ripening. The concentrations of a β-d-glucopyranoside of 3-methyl-4-hydroxyoctanoic acid in fruits, leaves, and shoots was determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, with the highest oak lactone glucoside levels observed in leaves of grapevines treated with oak lactone. A glucose-glucose disaccharide was also tentatively identified. These results demonstrate both ring-opening and glycosylation of oak lactone occurred after experimental treatments were imposed.

Vine-shoot waste aqueous extracts for re-use in agriculture obtained by different extraction techniques: phenolic, volatile, and mineral compounds

Vine-shoots are an important waste in all viticulture areas that should be re-used with innovative applications. The aim of this work was to produce Airén waste vine-shoot aqueous extracts by four solid-liquid extraction techniques such as conventional solid-liquid extraction (CSLE), solid-liquid dynamic extraction (SLDE-Naviglio), microwave extraction (ME), and pressurized solvent extraction (PSE). Their chemical composition was studied in terms of phenolic, volatile, and mineral compounds. The highest concentrated extracts corresponded to CSLE and SLDE-Naviglio, independent of the conditions tested. The CSLE extracts had the highest flavanols, phenolic acids, and stilbenes contents. The volatile composition, quantified for first time in this work, shows that furanic compounds were the most abundant. All extracts showed an interesting mineral content, which may be assimilated by plants. These results show the agricultural potential of Airén vine-shoot waste aqueous extracts to be used as grape biostimulants and/or foliar fertilizer.

Study of the effects of proline, phenylalanine, and urea foliar application to Tempranillo vineyards on grape amino acid content. Comparison with commercial nitrogen fertilisers

The aim of this work was to study the influence of foliar application of different nitrogen sources on grape amino acid content. The nitrogen sources applied to Tempranillo grapevines were proline, phenylalanine, urea, and two commercial nitrogen fertilisers, both without and with amino acids in their formulations. All treatments were applied at veraison and one week later. Proline treatment did not affect the must nitrogen composition. However, phenylalanine and urea foliar application enhanced the plants' synthesis of most of the amino acids, producing similar effects. In addition, the spray of commercial nitrogen fertilisers over leaves also induced a rise in grape amino acid concentrations regardless of the presence or absence of amino acids in their formulation. The most effective treatments were phenylalanine and urea followed by nitrogen fertilisers. This finding is of oenological interest for improved must nitrogen composition, ensuring better fermentation kinetics and most likely enhancing wine quality.

Microextraction techniques for the determination of volatile and semivolatile organic compounds from plants: a review

Vegetables and fruits are necessary for human health, and traditional Chinese medicine that uses plant materials can cure diseases. Thus, understanding the composition of plant matrix has gained increased attention in recent years. Since plant matrix is very complex, the extraction, separation and quantitation of these chemicals are challenging. In this review we focus on the microextraction techniques used in the determination of volatile and semivolatile organic compounds (such as esters, alcohols, aldehydes, hydrocarbons, ketones, terpenes, sesquiterpene, phenols, acids, plant secondary metabolites and pesticides) from plants (e.g., fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants, tree leaves, etc.). These microextraction techniques include: solid phase microextraction (SPME), stir-bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), single drop microextraction (SDME), hollow fiber liquid phase microextraction (HF-LPME), dispersive liquid liquid microextraction (DLLME), and gas purge microsyringe extraction (GP-MSE). We have taken into consideration papers published from 2008 to the end of January 2013, and provided critical and interpretative review on these techniques, and formulated future trends in microextraction for the determination of volatile and semivolatile compounds from plants.

Glycosidic aroma precursors of Syrah and Chardonnay grapes after an oak extract application to the grapevines

Syrah and Chardonnay grapevines were treated with an oak extract in order to determine the effect on glycosidic aroma precursors. Grapevines were treated at three different timings of the veraison (treatment 1, 2 and 3). Aglycons were obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis, and these were identified and quantified by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results suggest that after the applications the majority of compounds from the oak extract were assimilated and stored as glycosidic forms in both cultivars. Also, other compounds not present in the extract were affected, with a different behaviour observed depending on the timing of application and the variety. In general, C6 compounds, alcohols, terpenes, phenols and C13-norisoprenoids in Syrah showed a decrease and in Chardonnay an increase. Thus, this study proved a change in the glycosidic aroma profile in grapes after the oak application, so these treated grapes could produce wines with different aromatic quality.