Chitin, chitinase, chitosan …
In the past 10 years various studies were published that highlighted these three entities and their roles in winemaking. It is therefore worthwhile to take a closer look at what they are, what they do and why winemakers should be excited. What they are Chitin is the...
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Red Dawn: extracting nature’s power
This local breakthrough tannin innovation is a huge potential game changer in the wine industry, given that the locally produced tannins contains unique antioxidants and polyphenols. It not only preserves, protects and enhances all wine, it also has the...
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Gen-Z cover crop demo plots – results and findings from the 2018 season
In 2017 Vinpro launched a new technology transfer project, namely the Gen-Z Vineyard Project. The objective of this project is to establish various types of demo plots, for example new cultivars and clones, rootstocks, trellis systems, pruning systems and viticultural...
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Strategy for the control of mealybug in South African vineyards
Mealybug and scale insects are currently the only proven vectors of leafroll virus. All producers do not have the financial means to remove and replace leafroll infected grapevines. New grapevines from certified virus-free plant material are consequently being...
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Mapping the 2017 Absa Top 10 Pinotage wines – chemistry and sensory perspectives
When evaluating wines, we have two main tools at our disposal: sensory and chemistry. The chemical profile of a wine is made up of a multitude of compounds, but we cannot reduce a wine to a list of substances, no matter how comprehensive. In contrast, sensory...
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Big data and YAN analysis – new developments in South African context
A Big Data approach can be used in winemaking, using our YAN work as illustration. Unlike other fermented beverages, wine’s appeal does not stem from its consistent flavour and aroma, but instead from the unique sensory experience that it can offer, from one vintage...
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Benchmarking of commercial tannins and mannoproteins
Australian researchers did an in depth study of the compositions of 14 commercial grape-derived tannins and eight mannoproteins obtained from five different suppliers in the Australian market.1 They found significant differences in the compositions of these commercial...
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The importance of oxygen control during bottling and the measurement of dissolved oxygen in wine
Bottling is the last stage where oxygen can be dissolved in wine, causing negative quality characteristics, before the wine reaches the consumer. The possibility of oxygen absorption in wine exists during each process of bottling. Seeing that bottling usually takes...
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The advantages and disadvantages of oxygen prior to bottling
“Oxygen can make or break a wine.” – Louis Pasteur. Oxygen is an integral part of life and plays an important role in different biological and chemical reactions. Dissolved oxygen is the free molecular oxygen in solution and is expressed as milligram per litre (mg/L),...
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Water footprint of grapes and wine
During the past season, with many people living in the Western Cape trying to survive with a mere 40 to 50 L of water per person per day, many figures were quoted reminding us just how much water is commonly used in our daily living. For example, that about 19 L of...
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Organic yeast nutrients and Chardonnay aroma
In a recently published study(1) researchers evaluated the effect of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and a commercially available organic yeast nutrient on Chardonnay aroma. The main finding of the study was that the addition of yeast nutrients, compared to no additions in...
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Lessons to be learned from Israel’s desert agriculture*
Netafim South Africa organised a technical tour to Israel for producers and industry role players. The purpose of the tour was to learn more about Israeli agriculture with regard to water management. Background Geography and climate Israel is a Middle Eastern...
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Vineyard row orientation (Part 5) – unwooded and wooded Shiraz wine attributes
Wine chemical and sensory characteristics of differently orientated vertically trellised Shiraz grapevines (NS, EW, NE-SW and NW-SE rows) were investigated at three grape ripeness levels (approximating 23, 25 and 27°B). Introduction Vineyard row orientation is...
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The choice of bottle closures – the final choice of the winemaker
Winemaking is a progressive process and winemakers have to make different decisions in the course thereof until the wine eventually reaches the glass of the consumer. Depending on the wine style and type, this period can last from months to years. The final bottling...
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Temperature study in the Olifants River region
In 2002 Vinpro viticulturist, Jeff Joubert, in collaboration with the producer cellars in the region and the West Coast Wine Route, initiated a temperature project. Altogether 35 MCS486T temperature data loggers (Photo 1) were strategically placed across the entire...
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Thiol profiles of single cultivar red wines
Advances in technology allow researchers nowadays to elucidate wine composition at a much deeper level and to overcome previously insurmountable issues, such as interferences from the wine matrix. Background 3-Mercapto-1-hexanol (3-MH), 3-mercaptohexyl acetate...
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Can gene expression shed light on the “old vine” character of wine?
In local and international wine circles there is a growing interest in old vines and vineyards, and the exceptional wines produced from them. These wines are generally accepted as having more depth and complexity than young vineyard wines, thus the term “old vine”...
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Grape berry shrivelling – changes in physiology and quality
Dehydration/shrinking of grape berries during late ripening is a common disorder of grapevine cultivars and has deleterious implications for yields and grape quality. The cultivar Shiraz is particularly sensitive to this disorder and often displays large variation in...
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