The aromatic profile of wine distillates from Ugni blanc grape musts is influenced by the nitrogen nutrition (organic vs. inorganic) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Although the impact of nitrogen nutrition on the production of fermentative aromas in oenological fermentation is well known today, one may wonder whether the effects studied are the same when winemaking takes place at high turbidities, specifically for the production of wines intended for cognac distillation. To that effect, a fermentation robot was used to analyze 30 different fermentation conditions at two turbidity levels with several factors tested: (i) initial addition of nitrogen either organic (with a mixture of amino acids - MixAA) or inorganic with di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) at different concentrations, (ii) variation of the ratio of inorganic/organic nitrogen (MixAA and DAP) and (iii) addition of different single amino acids (alanine, arginine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid). A metabolomic analysis was carried out on all resulting wines to have a global vision of the impact of nitrogen on more than sixty aromatic molecules of various families.

Impact of high lipid contents on the production of fermentative aromas during white wine fermentation.

In Cognac, the musts are rich in grape solids and fermentations are usually run with turbidities ranging between 500 and 1500 NTU (nephelometric turbidity unit). These conditions, considered favourable for generating the desired organoleptic profiles of the final Eaux-de-vies, are unusual in winemaking, and, consequently, their impact on yeast metabolism is poorly understood. This study aims to better describe and understand the synthesis of fermentative aromas in such lipid-excess conditions, while integrating the effect of two other very important parameters: the initial concentration of assimilable nitrogen and the temperature of fermentation.

An Altered Circadian Clock Coupled with a Higher Photosynthesis Efficiency Could Explain the Better Agronomic Performance of a New Coffee Clone When Compared with a Standard Variety.

In a context where climate change is threatening coffee productivity, the management of coffee leaf rust is a challenging issue. Major resistant genes, which have been used for many years, are systematically being overcome by pathogens. Developing healthy plants, able to defend themselves and be productive even when attacked by the pathogen, should be part of a more sustainable alternative approach.