Enological technique, controlled use of enological products, and microorganism monitoring: main strategies to improve wine quality and food safety

The Enology and Wine Microbiology research group focuses on:

• the development of innovative winemaking protocols for the diversification of oenological products, the content reduction of preservative compounds, and the enhancement of the oenological potential of autochthonous and traditional grapevine varieties;
• the evaluation of the chemical composition and the mechanical and acoustic properties of the grapes, and their relationship with the extractability of sensory-interesting compounds during the winemaking;
• the study of grape dehydration-withering processes and of the special wines produced from them (Passito, Sforzato, etc.);
• the study of the effect on wine quality of enological processing aids such as enzymes, tannins, fining agents, oak chips, etc.;
• the study of the microbial ecology of grapes, must and wine, through the use of culture-dependent and independent methods;
• the selection of Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeasts to be used during winemaking;
• the evaluation of the potential use of ozone and electrolyzed water on grapes for the management of microbiota with enological relevance.

• Regione Piemonte PSR 2014–2020 operazione 16.1.1. ‘QUALSHELL – Qualità e shelf-Life del vino. Implementazione di procedimenti per la valutazione qualitativa dell’uva e il monitoraggio di processo’ (2020)
• Regione Lombardia PSR 2014–2020 operazione 1.2.01. ‘W2.0 – INCREASE SFURSAT – Linee operative per la valorizzazione dello Sfursat di Valtellina DOCG attraverso sistemi di informazione e dimostrazione’ (2020)
• Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo (CRC) - Bando Sessione erogativa generale 2020. ‘Consumo di vini convenzionali e "naturali": effetti sugli esiti dei test alcolici’ (2020)
• Fondazione CRT - Bando Erogazioni Ordinarie 2020. ‘Dal VIgneto al VIno: BIO-protezione tramite l’utilizzo di MIcrorganismi selezionati (VIVIBIOMI)’ (2020)
• PRIN 2017. The aroma diversity of Italian white wines. Study of chemical and biochemical pathways underlying sensory characteristics and perception mechanisms for developing models of precision and sustainable enology (2019)
• Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo (CRC) - Bando Ricerca Scientifica 2015. ‘Safegrape: approcci di lotta sostenibile ai patogeni fungini della vite’ (2016)
• PRIN 2015. ‘The diversity of tannins in Italian red wines. Study of biochemical aspects, chemical reactivity and sensory characteristics for developing precision and sustainable enological models from vineyard to consumer’ (2016)
• Regione Piemonte Misura I.1.3 - Studi di fattibilità. POR F.E.A.S.R. 2007/2013 – bando 2013. ‘Applicazione dell’ozono per la sanitizzazione delle imbottigliatrici nel settore enologico(O3-B.W.)’ (2014)
• Fondazione Cassa Risparmio Cuneo (CRC) - bando Ricerca Scientifica 2013. ‘Strategie di cantina per il contenimento dell’alcol nei vini’ (2014)
• Regione Piemonte Misura 124 F.E.A.S.R. 2007/2013 - bando 2013. ‘Riduzione del contenuto in etanolo nei vini mediante approcci microbiologici e tecnologici (Lowetoh)’ (2013)
• Regione Piemonte Misura 124 F.E.A.S.R. 2007/2013 - bando 2012. ‘Sviluppo di prodotti enologici innovativi per la valorizzazione di uve tradizionali e rare del Piemonte (Innowine)’ (2013)
• EU (FP7/2007–2013) - grant agreement no. 315065. ‘WILDWINE’ (2012)
• Progetti di trasferimento tecnologico e sviluppo aziendale con aziende private del settore enologico.

• Río Segade S., Bautista-Ortin A.-B., Paissoni M.A., Giacosa S., Gerbi V., Rolle L., Gómez-Plaza E. (2020). Changes in skin flavanol composition as response to ozone-induced stress during postharvest dehydration of red winegrapes with different phenolic profile. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 68, 13439–13449
• Paissoni M.A., Río Segade S., Carrero-Carralero C., Montanini C., Giacosa S., Rolle L. (2020). Role of anthocyanin traits on the impact of oenological tannins addition in the first stage of red winegrape skin simulated maceration. Food Chemistry, 320:126633, 1–12.
• Rolle L., Englezos V., Torchio F., Cravero F., Río Segade S., Rantsiou K., Giacosa S., Gambuti A., Gerbi V., Cocolin L. (2018). Alcohol reduction in red wines by technological and microbiological approaches: a comparative study. Australian Journal of Grape Wine Research, 24, 62-74
• Perez-Torrado R., Rantsiou K., Perrone B., Navarro-Tapia E., Querol A., Cocolin L. (2017). Ecological interactions among Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains: insight into the dominance phenomenon. Scientific Reports, 7, 43603
• Cravero F., Englezos V., Torchio F., Giacosa S., Río Segade S., Gerbi V., Rantsiou K., Rolle L., Cocolin L. (2016). Post-harvest control of wine-grape mycobiota using electrolyzed water. Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies, 35, 21–28

National collaborations in the field with public and private Universities and research centers.

International collaborations:

Basque Culinary Center (Spain)
Departamento de Engenharia Agrícola, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (Brazil)
Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Escuela de Ingeniería Industrial—Centro de Investigación Tecnológico Industrial (MTI), Universidad de Vigo (Spain)
Departamento de Química Analítica y Alimentaria, Facultad de Química, Universidad de Vigo (Spain)
Departamento de Tecnología de Alimentos, Nutrición y Bromatología, Universidad de Murcia (Spain)
Department of Viticulture and Enology, University of California-Davis (USA)
Department of Viticulture and Oenology, Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
Estación de Viticultura e Enoloxía de Galicia (EVEGA), Instituto Galego de Calidade Alimentaria, Xunta de Galicia (Spain)
Grupo de Investigación en Polifenoles (GIP), Unidad de Nutrición y Bromatología, Universidad de Salamanca (Spain)
Institut des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin, Unité de Recherche Oenologie, Université de Bordeaux (France)
Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie, de Bromatologie et de Nutrition Humaine, Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium)
Misión Biológica de Galicia, Centro Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - CSIC (Spain)
UMT Vinitera, UPSP GRAPPE, LUNAM Université Angers (France)
University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca (Romania)