How to adapt winemaking practices to modified grape composition under climate change conditions

Abstract

Aim: In the context of climate change, adaptation of enological practices and implementation of novel techniques are major challenges for winemakers. The potential interventions are linked in particular with the alcohol content and the global acidity of wine. Here, we review current microbiological and technological strategies to overcome such issues. Methods and results: Reducing ethanol concentration poses a number of technical and scientific challenges, in particular looking for specific yeast strains with lower alcohol yield. Several non-genetically modified organism (GMO) strains – S. cerevisiae or interspecific hybrids of the Saccharomyces genus – have yet been developed using different strategies, and some of them allow decreasing the final ethanol concentration by up to 1%. Several membrane-based technologies have also been developed not only to reduce the ethanol content of wines but also to increase the acidity and more generally to control the wine pH. New strategies are also proposed to improve the control of winemaking, especially the management of alcoholic fermentation of sugar-rich musts and the control of oxidation during the process. Conclusion: Reducing ethanol of wines and increasing their acidity are good examples of novel techniques of interest in the context of climate change. Other strategies are still under study to adapt winemaking practices to changes in grape composition. Significance and impact of the study: [Membrane-based technologies can be used to reduce the ethanol content of wines or to increase the acidity. Microbiological strategies will also be soon available for winemakers.

Keywords

• Climate change
• winemaking
• yeast
• alcohol
• acidity