Phenolic compounds in Merlot wines from two wine regions of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

In Brazil, the grape and wine production takes place mainly in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and the region "Serra" is known as the traditional wine region. In the last years, new areas have emerged, with emphasis for the Campanha region; the red wines from this region have low acidity, little color intensity, and are wines to drink while young, even when produced from grape varieties such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different maceration types on the phenolic compounds of Merlot wines made with grapes produced in two regions of Rio Grande do Sul, Serra and Campanha, as well as to identify the key differences between the wines produced. The localization of the vineyards seems to have more influence on the wine characteristics than the maceration type. The color due copigmentation was an important aspect in the wines made with short maceration. The effect of extended maceration was different than the expected for the Campanha region wines; the extended maceration increased the extraction of tannins resulting in greater color intensity and a greater amount of anthocyanins. The pH control seems to be a key factor for the Campanha region wines.

Use of simulated annealing in standardization and optimization of the acerola wine production

In this study, seven wine samples were prepared varying the amount of pulp of acerola fruits and the sugar content using the simulated annealing technique to obtain the optimal sensory qualities and cost for the wine produced. S. cerevisiae yeast was used in the fermentation process and the sensory attributes were evaluated using a hedonic scale. Acerola wines were classified as sweet, with 11°GL of alcohol concentration and with aroma, taste, and color characteristics of the acerola fruit. The simulated annealing experiments showed that the best conditions were found at mass ratio between 1/7.5-1/6 and total soluble solids between 28.6-29.0 °Brix, from which the sensory acceptance scores of 6.9, 6.8, and 8.8 were obtained for color, aroma, and flavor, respectively, with a production cost 43-45% lower than the cost of traditional wines commercialized in Brazil.

Research on the quality of the wine grapes in corridor area of China

The corridor area of Gansu Province is one of the most important wine grape growing regions in China, and this strip of land results in a significant difference in terms of terroir between its regions. Chemical composition and antioxidant capacity of the main wine grape varieties (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivated in the corridor area of Gansu Province in northwest China were compared. Three regions (Zhangye, Wuwei, and Jiayuguan) were selected to explain the influence of soil and climate conditions on the quality of wine grapes. This study aims to investigate the effect of different regions on berry composition and antioxidant capacity, providing a general evaluation of red and white wine grapes quality in the corridor area of China. The results showed that ‘Merlot’ grapes grown in Zhangye had the best quality among the different varieties in the three regions of Gansu evaluated. The moderate temperature and nitrogen deficiency were associated with improved fruit quality. It was identified that the most suitable grape variety from Zhangye is ‘Merlot’, and that ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ and ‘Italian Resling’ are the most suitable varieties from Wuwei and Jiayuguan, respectively.

Fresh meat quality of pigs fed diets with different fatty acid profiles and supplemented with red wine solids

Abstract Three groups of pigs were fed three different diets, namely a diet rich in saturated fatty acids (palm oil-based, PO), a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-rich diet (corn oil-based, CO), and a PUFA-rich diet (corn oil-based) supplemented with red wine solids (RWS), which was added to the diet (CO+RWS) in order to assess the protective effect on the oxidative status of the pork meat. The addition of corn oil favourably modulates the FAs profile of the backfat, and to a lesser extent of the intramuscular fat of semimembranosus muscle, without causing adverse effects on the meat quality or on its oxidative stability. Moreover, these parameters were not affected by the addition of the RWS in the CO+RWS diet.

Divergência genética em cultivares de morangueiro, baseada em caracteres morfoagronômicos

Os caracteres morfoagronômicos são tradicionalmente usados na caracterização de cultivares e no estudo da divergência genética, contribuindo na definição de estratégias para o melhoramento genético. Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a divergência genética por meio de caracteres morfoagronômicos de 11 cultivares de morangueiro (Aromas, Camarosa, Camino Real, Campinas, Diamante, Dover, Oso Grande, Sweet Charlie, Toyonoka, Tudla e Ventana), nas condições climáticas da região Centro-Sul do Paraná. Foram analisados 29 caracteres morfoagronômicos relacionados com a planta, folha, flor, fruto e aquênios do morangueiro. As similaridades genéticas foram calculadas por meio de análise multivariada e, os cultivares, agrupados com base na matriz de similaridade genética, usando-se UPGMA. Dentre os 29 caracteres morfoagronômicos avaliados, oito apresentaram diferenças não significativas (p < 0,05). A similaridade média foi de 38%, variando de 19 (aromas e camino real) a 62% (Camino Real e Camarosa; Aromas e Sweet Charlie). O dendrograma alocou os cultivares em quatro grupos, contudo, essa divisão não foi coerente com a origem e genealogia dos cultivares. O cultivar Tudla apresenta elevado potencial "per se" para utilização em programas de melhoramento. O cruzamento mais promissor com base nos caracteres morfoagronômicos é entre os cultivares Camarosa e Campinas.

Alcohol and atherosclerosis

Observational studies have attributed a protective effect to alcohol consumption on the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Alcohol intake in the amount of one to two drinks per day results in an estimated 20-40% reduction in cardiovascular events. An additional protective effect, according to major cohort studies, has been attributed to wine, probably due to antioxidant effects and platelet antiaggregation agents. On the other hand, the influence of different patterns of alcohol consumption and environmental factors may explain a great part of the additional effect of wine. Protection may be mediated by modulation of other risk factors, because alcohol increases HDL-C, produces a biphasic response on blood pressure, and modulates the endothelial function, while it neither increases body weight nor impairs glucose-insulin homeostasis. Alcohol may also have a direct effect on atherogenesis. Despite these favorable effects, the current evidence is not enough to justify prescribing alcohol to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Understanding the hierarchy governance choice of some wineries in Brazil - case study of 3 Brazilian wineries

ABSTRACT This study aims to contribute towards understanding the multiple factors, which influence firm's governance decisions. To identify some of these factors, three cases in the Brazilian wine industry were analyzed: Miolo located in Vale dos Vinhedos (South of Brazil) and in Vale do Rio São Francisco (Northeast of Brazil); Don Laurindo located in Vale dos Vinhedos; and ViniBrasil located in Vale do Rio São Francisco. For the most part, all three firms procure the grapes they use for their wine production in-house. Only Miolo purchases an insignificant amount of grapes outside of its production. By Brazilian standards, these regions have a long tradition of grape production and it is not difficult to purchase sufficient quantity of grapes to produce wine. However, the wineries are concerned also about the quality of the grapes they use and purchasing high-quality grapes might be critical issue. On the other hand, the quality of grapes is easily measured and the cost to buy in the market is cheaper than producing in-house. Furthermore, also the level of asset specificity present in the grape-grower-wine-producer transaction seems, by itself, insufficient to justify the use of hierarchical governance forms. Then, the aim of the article is to analyze the reasons why these wineries largely rely on hierarchy governance forms to procure their grape-inputs. What explains their use of hierarchy governance, given that both asset specificity and measurement problems appear to be relatively low?

O uso da aromaterapia na melhora da autoestima

Os objetivos deste estudo foram verificar se a inalação dos óleos essenciais de rosa e de ylang-ylang alteram a percepção da autoestima e comparar a eficácia dos mesmos. O projeto foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa do Hospital da Universidade de São Paulo. Participaram 43 funcionários dos setores de Higienização e da Central de Materiais e Esterilização durante os meses de maio a julho de 2009. Os sujeitos foram randomizados em três grupos: dois que receberem os óleos essenciais e outro que recebeu placebo (essência de rosa). A avaliação da autoestima foi feita através de uma escala já validada no Brasil, sendo aplicada antes do uso dos aromas, depois de 30 dias de uso e ao completar 60 dias. Dentre os resultados, verificou-se que a amostra era constituída por 88,6% de indivíduos com média e alta autoestima e que os óleos essenciais em questão não alteraram de forma significativa a percepção da autoestima.

Water storage variability in a vineyard soil in the southern highlands of Santa Catarina state

In the subtropical regions of southern Brazil, rainfall distribution is uneven, which results in temporal variability of soil water storage. For grapes, water is generally available in excess and water deficiency occurs only occasionally. Furthermore, on the Southern Plateau of Santa Catarina, there are differences in soil properties, which results in high spatial variability. These two factors affect the composition of wine grapes. Spatio-temporal analyses are therefore useful in the selection of cultural practices as well as of adequate soils for vineyards. In this way, well-suited areas can produce grapes with a more appropriate composition for the production of quality wines. The aim of this study was to evaluate the spatio-temporal variability of water storage in a Cambisol during the growth cycle of a Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard and its relation to selected soil properties. The experimental area consisted of a commercial 8-year-old vineyard in São Joaquim, Santa Catarina, Brazil. A sampling grid with five rows and seven points per row, spaced 12 m apart, was outlined on an area of 3,456 m². Soil samples were collected with an auger at these points, 0.30 m away from the grapevines, in the 0.00-0.30 m layer, to determine gravimetric soil moisture. Measurements were taken once a week from December 2008 to April 2009, and every two weeks from December 2009 to March 2010. In December 2008, undisturbed soil samples were collected to determine bulk density, macro- and microporosity, and disturbed samples were used to quantify particle size distribution and organic carbon content. Results were subjected to descriptive analysis and semivariogram analysis, calculating the mean relative difference and the Pearson correlation. The average water storage in a Cambisol under grapevine on ridges had variable spatial dependence, i.e., the lower the average water storage, the higher the range of spatial dependence. Water storage had a stable spatial pattern during the trial period, indicating that the points with lower water storage or points with higher water storage during a certain period maintain these conditions throughout the experimental period. The relative difference is a simple method to identify positions that represent the average soil water storage more adequately at any time for a given area.

Características sensoriais do vinho Bordô

Avaliaram-se as características sensoriais dos vinhos Bordô varietalmente puros e elaborados segundo a tecnologia própria a cada vinícola. A avaliação sensorial foi conduzida por um grupo de nove painelistas devidamente treinados. Os resultados revelaram que, dos 26 descritores avaliados, nove caracterizaram o vinho Bordô como sensorialmente marcante. Os descritores analisados foram a cor relativamente intensa e matiz violeta; aromas foxado e frutado; corpo relativamente pouco estruturado, mais ou menos ácido, sabores foxado e frutado predominantes e forte tipicidade.

Spittlebug impacts on sugarcane quality and ethanol production

The objective of this work was to evaluate the impacts of spittlebug (Mahanarva fimbriolata) attack on sugarcane quality and ethanol production. Technological and microbiological parameters of juice and fermentation process were evaluated in ten fermentation cycles and two harvest seasons. Treatments consisted of different spittlebug stalk damage levels: control, with 100% of apparently healthy stalks; medium, with 15% of damaged or dry stalks (DDS); high, with 30% of DDS; and very high, with 60% of DDS. Spittlebug attack caused significant losses in cane quality, reducing total soluble solids, sucrose content, total reducing sugars, and pH, and increasing total phenolic compounds, and total and volatile juice acidity. The fermentation process was also significantly affected, resulting in lower ethanol content in wine. There was an increase in acetaldehyde concentration in the distillate. The spittlebug attack caused negative impacts on sugarcane quality and fermentation process, and these impacts are stronger in late season harvests.

Characterization and multivariate classification of grapes and wines of two Cabernet Sauvignon clones

The objective of this work was to assess and characterize two clones, 169 and 685, of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and to evaluate the wine produced from these grapes. The experiment was carried out in São Joaquim, SC, Brazil, during the 2009 harvest season. During grape ripening, the evolution of physical-chemical properties, phenolic compounds, organic acids, and anthocyanins was evaluated. During grape harvest, yield components were determined for each clone. Individual and total phenolics, individual and total anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity were evaluated for wine. The clones were also assessed regarding the duration of their phenological cycle. During ripening, the evolution of phenolic compounds and of physical-chemical parameters was similar for both clones; however, during harvest, significant differences were observed regarding yield, number of bunches per plant and berries per bunch, leaf area, and organic acid, polyphenol, and anthocyanin content. The wines produced from these clones showed significant differences regarding chemical composition. The clones showed similar phenological cycle and responses to bioclimatic parameters. Principal component analysis shows that clone 685 is strongly correlated with color characteristics, mainly monomeric anthocyanins, while clone 169 is correlated with individual phenolic compounds.

Desempenho de cultivares de morango submetidas a diferentes tipos de polinização em cultivo protegido

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes tipos de polinização sobre a qualidade de frutos de cultivares de morangueiro e sua contribuição isolada para a massa dos frutos, bem como determinar o potencial de Plebeia nigriceps (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponini) como agente polinizador em ambiente protegido. As cultivares Aromas, Diamante e Cegnidarem foram submetidas a tratamentos com autopolinização, polinização por P. nigriceps e polinização livre. Os experimentos foram conduzidos em estufa tipo pampeana, coberta com polietileno transparente e desprovida de telas anti-insetos nas laterais, com 1.344 plantas. Para as avaliações, foram marcadas 56 flores primárias em botão, de cada cultivar, e considerou-se cada planta uma repetição. Avaliaram-se massa de matéria fresca, peso, diâmetro, comprimento e presença de deformação nos frutos. A polinização entomófila tem contribuição variada à massa dos frutos, de acordo com a cultivar. As cultivares apresentam sensibilidade variada à autopolinização, no que se refere à incidência de frutos deformados. A interferência da polinização entomófila na produtividade do morangueiro está mais relacionada à redução do percentual de frutos deformados do que ao aumento da massa dos frutos em si. O comportamento de P. nigriceps indica que a espécie apresenta potencial para polinização da cultura do morangueiro em ambiente protegido.

Parâmetros biológicos e tabela de vida de fertilidade de Neopamera bilobata (Hemiptera: Rhyparochromidae) em morangueiro

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os parâmetros biológicos e determinar a tabela de vida de fertilidade de Neopamera bilobata (Hemiptera: Rhyparochromidae) em morangueiro. O experimento foi realizado no Laboratório de Entomologia da Embrapa Uva e Vinho, em Bento Gonçalves, RS, em câmara climatizada (a 23±1°C, 70±10% UR e fotófase de 12 horas). Utilizaram-se folíolos, flores, frutos verdes e maduros de morangueiro 'Aromas' como alimento para os percevejos. O desenvolvimento das fases imaturas e os parâmetros biológicos dos adultos foram monitorados diariamente. O percevejo N. bilobata não completou o ciclo biológico em folíolos e flores de morangueiro. Em frutos maduros e verdes, o tempo de desenvolvimento da ninfa ao adulto foi de 32,8±9,12 e 36,7±6,80 dias, com viabilidade de 27,3 e 51%, respectivamente. O período de oviposição foi de 34,7±21,2 dias, com 319,1±262,7 ovos em frutos maduros, e de 43,9±18,3 dias, com 318,2±144,7 ovos em frutos verdes. Neopamera bilobata completa seu ciclo biológico na cultura do morangueiro. Frutos verdes de morangueiro são mais adequados ao desenvolvimento deste inseto do que frutos maduros.

Potencial de multiplicação in vitro de cultivares de morangueiro

Este trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar o potencial de multiplicação in vitro de dez cultivares de morangueiro: Aromas, Bürkley, Camarosa, Campinas, Dover, Milsei-Tudla, Oso Grande, Santa Clara, Sweet Charlie e Vila Nova. Utilizou-se protocolo similar ao dos laboratórios comerciais. A desinfestação dos estolões foi realizada em soluções à base de álcool e hipoclorito de sódio; a cultura dos meristemas em meio semi-sólido MS com 1 mg L-1 BAP, 0,01 mg L-1 ANA e 0,1 mg L-1 AG3; e a multiplicação em meio MS com 1 mg L-1 BAP, à 25 ± 4ºC, 20 µE m-2 s-1 e fotoperíodo de 16 horas. Partiu-se de 10 meristemas de cada cultivar, avaliando-se a taxa de multiplicação e os níveis de contaminação, vitrificação e oxidação durante as fases de estabelecimento (30 dias) e de multiplicação (quatro subcultivos). O número estimado de plântulas obtidas por meristema foi: 559 de 'Aromas'; 569 de 'Bürkley'; 516 de 'Camarosa'; 517 de 'Campinas'; 3.907 de 'Dover'; 1.841 de 'Milsei-Tudla'; 943 de 'Oso Grande'; 350 de 'Santa Clara'; 298 de 'Sweet Charlie', e 1.132 de 'Vila Nova'. A quantificação dessa variabilidade genética é importante para o planejamento da produção de matrizes de cada cultivar nos laboratórios de micropropagação.