Improving wine quality control using an electronic tongue
Ensuring wine quality throughout production is vital for customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. Microbial spoilage organisms pose a significant risk to wine quality, requiring early detection and management of faults. While sensory panels have traditionally been used for this purpose, recent technological advancements, such as the electronic tongue (e-tongue), offer
Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria
Grape production in the Sao Francisco Valley in Brazil requires large amounts of fertiliser input, fuelling cost inflation for producers. Researchers prospected six sites for plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria to identify beneficial species, promote further research and possibly reduce fertiliser inputs. Project Layout Rhizospheric soil samples were collected from six
Unveiling the Influence of Country-of-Origin bias on expert wine judgments
Are your wine preferences truly unbiased, or could they be subtly swayed by the country where the wine originates? A new study conducted at the renowned ProWein International Wine and Spirits Fair in Germany aimed to shed light on this intriguing question. Project layout Twenty-two wine traders from ten
Irrigation strategy and timing of canopy interventions to improve wine quality with minimal crop loss
A field study was conducted in the hot climate of the San Joaquin Valley, where producers struggle to achieve optimal berry colour. Canopy manipulation by hand is a costly endeavour, forcing producers to turn toward mechanical leaf removal. The aim of the study was to investigate the interaction between mechanical
Irrigation strategy during heatwaves: Softening the blow
All over the world, vineyards are subjected to extreme heat events during the ripening period, and irrigation is a way of mitigating the negative effects of these heat spikes. A three-year Californian study evaluated the impact of three different irrigation strategies pre – and during heatwaves on grapevine physiology, berry
THE EVOLUTION OF WORLD WINE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION BY COLOUR – OIV 2023 REPORT
This report on the Evolution of World Wine Production and Consumption by Colour has been prepared by the Statistics Department of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV). Over the past decades, the world wine sector has seen an overall positive production and consumption trend of white and rosé
Choosing commercial yeasts
The two most important considerations for optimal fermentation are, firstly, the yeast(s) ability to ferment to dryness in the given conditions without becoming sluggish or stuck and within the time frame required for process optimisation, and secondly, the sensory profile of the yeast. These two aspects go hand in hand.
Long-term vineyard grazing increases soil carbon storage
In this study, researchers wanted to understand the impact of vineyard grazing on soil organic carbon and underlying biochemical processes to develop best management practices for this growing management outlook. The authors looked to identify the benefits and trade-offs of re-introducing livestock to farming systems to decrease the dependency on
Ageing on lees
For many wines, ageing on the lees is fundamental to their production, most notably in traditional-method sparkling wines and white Burgundy. Producers of the former tout the time spent on lees as a quality indicator, and many still wines call out their sur lie production on the label. What the
The Shiraz Times November 2023
On 8 November 2023, Shiraz SA held their 16th annual technical seminar. During this event, the first edition of the Shiraz Times magazine was launched. The magazine is a South Africa Wine publication compiled for Shiraz SA to support the cultivar association in their knowledge transfer and marketing efforts of
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THE EVOLUTION OF WORLD WINE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION BY COLOUR – OIV 2023 REPORT
This report on the Evolution of World Wine Production and Consumption by Colour has been prepared by the Statistics Department of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV). Over the past decades, the world wine sector has seen an overall positive production and consumption trend of white and rosé
Choosing commercial yeasts
The two most important considerations for optimal fermentation are, firstly, the yeast(s) ability to ferment to dryness in the given conditions without becoming sluggish or stuck and within the time frame required for process optimisation, and secondly, the sensory profile of the yeast. These two aspects go hand in hand.
Ageing on lees
For many wines, ageing on the lees is fundamental to their production, most notably in traditional-method sparkling wines and white Burgundy. Producers of the former tout the time spent on lees as a quality indicator, and many still wines call out their sur lie production on the label. What the
The Shiraz Times November 2023
On 8 November 2023, Shiraz SA held their 16th annual technical seminar. During this event, the first edition of the Shiraz Times magazine was launched. The magazine is a South Africa Wine publication compiled for Shiraz SA to support the cultivar association in their knowledge transfer and marketing efforts of
FACTORS INFLUENCING KNOWLEDGE UPTAKE BY PRACTITIONERS: CHARACTERISTICS OF THE KNOWLEDGE
Various factors influence whether practitioners such as grape producers, viticulturists and winemakers will acquire new information. The previous two blogs discussed the influence of practitioners’ individual characteristics and the knowledge source’s characteristics. This blog discusses the characteristics of the knowledge itself and how it can influence knowledge uptake. The
confronting climate change (ccc) benchmark report 2023
CCC Benchmark Report 2023 The 2023 Confronting Climate Change (CCC) industry benchmark process builds on 2021 – 2022 datasets and provides a meaningful platform for the South African fruit and wine industries to improve their understanding of the use of fossil fuel-based resources and to reduce emissions over time. The
FACTORS INFLUENCING KNOWLEDGE UPTAKE BY PRACTITIONERS: CHARACTERISTICS OF THE KNOWLEDGE SOURCE
Many factors can influence practitioner knowledge uptake and utilisation. The first blog in the series dealt with the individual characteristics of practitioners. This second blog discusses the characteristics of the knowledge source and how it influences knowledge uptake. The two most important factors are the credibility of the knowledge provider
Factors influencing knowledge uptake by practitioners: Individual characteristics
Introduction This blog is the first in a series of four blogs that delve into the factors determining whether practitioners (e.g. producers, viticulturists and winemakers) will engage with new information presented to them. ‘New information’ in this context refers to anything new to you. It is your first time hearing
Settling before red wine fermentation
Results from a study presented by Encarna Gómez-Plaza at Enoforum Web Scientists Conference 2023 revealed that settling red juice and adding the grape skins/marc back to conduct the fermentation can increase the colour and tannin content of the final wine significantly. In fact, the anthocyanin and tannin concentrations were not
Shiraz Technical Seminar 2022
The annual Shiraz technical workshop is one of the most important events for any producer of Shiraz. Apart from local and international speakers addressing a broad spectrum of viticultural and oenological aspects of Shiraz production, the tastings also cover exciting elements such as clones, terroir and international wines. The Shiraz
