http://blog.selenewines.com/wp-content/ uploads/2009/09/Bare-Merlot-vine.jpg Flavonoids in grapes, particularly anthocyanins and tannins, have great impact on the quality of wines, specifically in the areas of color and astringency. The composition of these compounds in grapes depends on many factors, including grape variety, water…
The Effect of Long-Term Organic Compost Treatment On Soil and Grape Quality
Composting has been shown to increase soil quality by increasing organic matter and altering concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous, as well as changing bulk density, porosity, and water holding capacity. These changes could be beneficial for soil conservation, particularly in…
Using UV-fluorescence to Detect Grey Mold (Botrytis cinerea) Infections: Possible Implications for Field Detection Technologies
Anyone who has ever worked in a vineyard understands that Botrytis cinerea (grey mold) is a serious threat to the health and quality of the grapes. This mold is responsible for huge crop losses in many parts of the world,…
Does Wine Consumption Really Lower Mortality Risk in Adults?: Evidence for the Contrary
There is a lot of evidence in the literature that claims moderate alcohol consumption is associated with reduced mortality in adults. For example, studies have shown that wine consumption in particular reduces cardiac mortality, as well as other beneficial effects. …
Evidence for Damaging Effects of Heat Exposure on Wine During Transport and Storage and Recommendations for Protection
It is well known that long term heat exposure is detrimental to the quality of wine, specifically its sensory characteristics and ability to age. Excessive heat can also alter a wine’s physical and chemical stability, such as showing a cloudy…
Millennial Generation Preferences for Wine: Further Evidence for Developing Effective Marketing Strategies
In the United States, Baby Boomers are still currently the generation that consumes the most wine. However, the younger generation (a.k.a. “Millennials”, “Generation Y”, “Echo Boomers”, or “Nexters”) is continually learning about wine and may one day surpass their parental…
Is Wine Bottle Weight Associated with Wine Quality?
Just looking down the aisle at the wine shop, you all know that there are a lot of different wines to choose from. Most of the time one does not know much about the quality and thus have to make…
Book Review: Dying on the Vine: How Phylloxera Transformed Wine by George Gale
http://www.ucpress.edu/img/ covers/isbn13/9780520265486.jpg Dying on the Vine: How Phylloxera Transformed Wine, by George Gale, is a highly educational and well-written book covering the phylloxera crisis starting in the late 1800s and how the world continues to struggle with the pest even…
The Effect of Red Wine Consumption on Inflammatory Bowel Disease
As some of you may unfortunately be all too familiar, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) affects over 5 million people throughout the world, and is characterized as having waxing and waning courses, with periods of flares (symptoms) and remission (no symptoms). …