ABSTRACT. Over the past decade, China’s wine industry has stepped into a new phase of profound structural adjustment and high‑quality development. From the market perspective, overall market size and sales volume keep shrinking, while product structure is continuously optimized with more high‑quality, distinctive and diversified wine products available. The consumption growth of conventional wines slows down, whereas white‑wine consumption rises robustly. New categories including low‑alcohol, sparkling, non‑alcoholic wines and wine‑style beverages gain rapid popularity, accompanied by increasingly diversified consumption scenarios. Domestic‑produced wines and imported wines maintain long‑term coexistence within the market.

From the production perspective, total industrial output declines gradually. Wine‑producing zones are geographically concentrated toward western regions and characteristic vineyard areas, alongside refined exploration of regional terroir conditions. Digital‑based information, intelligent manufacturing and digital technologies empower the whole industrial chain, while new‑quality productive forces expand rapidly. Integration of primary, secondary and tertiary industries deepens continuously, making greater contributions of wine industry to rural vitalization and ecological conservation. Rising awards of domestic wines in international competitions steadily strengthen global industry influence.

From the research perspective, the technological innovation system keeps improving. Academic and industrial research focuses on core fields such as utilization of native grape germplasm resources, breeding of dedicated wine yeasts, terroir interpretation of producing regions, flavour‑quality characterization and precise quality control, achieving more elaborate, systematic and in‑depth research outcomes.

Looking ahead, China’s wine industry will feature premium upgrading, category diversification, expanded consumption scenarios and younger‑oriented consumers. By deeply integrating Chinese catering culture and local regional features, a China‑characteristic wine industrial development system will be established.

ABSTRACT. In June 2020, during an inspection of vineyards in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains, Ningxia, General Secretary Xi Jinping characterized the local wine industry as a “microcosm” of China’s broader wine industry and projected a strategic vision: “Given time, perhaps in 10 or 20 years, China’s wine will amaze the world.” This statement situates the industry’s trajectory at the confluence of national competitiveness and cultural narrative, charting a fundamental shift from scale expansion to high-quality development (HQD). While existing research provides insights into digital economy empowerment, brand building, structural constraints, and policy pitfalls, a systematic, integrative theoretical framework translating the top-level vision of “amazing the world” into a coherent “Why-What-How” structure remains underdeveloped. This paper constructs such a framework, arguing that achieving world-class distinction is a historical inevitability and a strategic necessity. It defines the core of HQD through four pillars: New Quality Productive Forces as the engine, Green Development as the foundation, Cultural Confidence as the identifier, and Open Cooperation as the pathway. The implementation roadmap focuses on three actionable levers: breaking core technological bottlenecks, establishing world-class quality standards, and strengthening institutional mechanisms via talent cultivation. The central thesis posits that China’s future competitiveness hinges on cultivating a distinctive, resilient, and integrated “Terroir-Institutions-Common Prosperity” paradigm, providing a concrete, accountable action plan for the industry.

ABSTRACT. The Ningxia Helan Mountain's East Foothill region, a core wine-producing area in China, has developed its wine industry into a pillar of the regional economy. However, the laws of market distribution and supply chain collaboration mechanisms in this region have not yet been systematically studied empirically. This study examines 57 representative wineries in the Ningxia wine region. Through semi-structured interviews (n=34) and questionnaire surveys (34 valid responses), combined with reliability and validity testing, descriptive statistics, and variance analysis, it investigates the impact of winery characteristics, market distribution, sales channel efficiency, and supply chain management on sales performance. Research findings: 1) Best-selling markets are highly concentrated in coastal cities and higher-tier cities (frequency: Beijing 23, Shanghai 19, Zhejiang 14, Guangdong 13), with the mid-range price segment (100-300 RMB/bottle) dominating the market (44.82%); 2) Awareness of geographical indications can enhance brand impact, but only 14.71% of wineries reported consumers accurately recognizing these labels; 3) Sales channels primarily rely on distributor agencies (accounting for 39.65% of sales revenue) but yield low profit margins (44.12% of wineries < 10%); group purchase and customization channels demonstrate higher profitability (20.59% of wineries achieve 21%-30% profit margins); 4) Logistics costs in remote areas are 10%-30% higher than coastal regions. Reliance on third-party cold chain logistics is high (52.94% of wineries adopt "own warehousing + third-party cold chain" model), but delivery timeliness varies significantly. Based on these findings, specific paths are proposed from three dimensions: brand awareness improvement, channel structure optimization, and supply chain collaboration, providing references for the high-quality development of the region's wine industry.

ABSTRACT. This study examines the relationship between grape-related agglomeration and cultivated wine grape area (CWG) in China using provincial panel data. Although regional agglomeration has been extensively examined in the context of industrial development, CWG remain relatively underexplored. This paper distinguishes between two dimensions of grape-related agglomeration: grape garden area agglomeration (Agg_GGA) , which reflects the spatial concentration of grape-growing land resources, and output of fruits grapes agglomeration (Agg_OFG), which captures the concentration of grape production capacity. The results show that both of Agg_GGA and Agg_OFG are positively and significantly associated with the expansion of CWG. The interaction analysis further suggests that although Agg_GGA and Agg_OFG individually support CWG, their joint effect may exhibit diminishing marginal returns. Heterogeneity results show that the positive association between agglomeration and CWG exists across major producing and non-major producing provinces, different levels of economic development, infrastructure conditions, and degrees of openness. These findings highlight the importance of regional specialization, localized production networks, infrastructure improvement, and differentiated agricultural policies in supporting the sustainable development of CWG in China.

ABSTRACT. Grape is an important specialty cash crop in Xinjiang. Studying the changes in its production layout and influencing factors is of practical significance for optimizing the agricultural structure and enhancing industrial competitiveness. Based on grape production data from 26 prefecture-level regions in Xinjiang from 2003 to 2023, this paper employs the production concentration index, standard deviation ellipse, center-of-gravity migration model, spatial auto correlation, and spatial Dubin model to analyze the extemporization evolution characteristics and driving factors of grape production layout in Xinjiang. The results show that the overall distribution of grape production in Xinjiang has been characterized by a trend of “dispersion first, agglomeration later,” and has gradually concentrated in the dominant production areas since 2018. The center of grape planting area was mainly located near the border between Bayingolin and Aksu, while the output center shifted notably toward Aksu from 2019 to 2023. Grape output exhibits a significant positive spatial correlation, indicating spatial agglomeration of production. The model results indicate that per capital GDP, non-agricultural employment level, comparative returns, and yield level have significant positive effects on grape output, whereas annual average temperature, fertilizer application, and effective irrigated area show negative effects. Overall, the grape production layout in Xinjiang is jointly influenced by natural conditions, economic returns, technological levels, and resource constraints. Future policies should promote the concentration of the grape industry in advantageous areas, along with quality improvement and brand development. Keywords: Xinjiang grape; production layout; spatial agglomeration; spatial Dubbin model; influencing factors

ABSTRACT. Abstract Vineyard value derives not only from natural endowments but also from decades of historical investments: soil improvement, windbreak forests, and terroir cultivation. From 2025 to 2026, first large-scale vineyard leases in Ningxia’s Eastern Helan Mountain Foothill region expire, triggering concentrated rent renewal disputes. Lessors (village collectives, state farms) demand substantial increases for short-term revenue; lessees (wineries) rely on long-established local practices—gradual escalation, reference to historical transaction rents, and ownership of land attachments by the investing party—to reject predatory hikes. This tension reveals misalignment between the Civil Code and Rural Land Contracting Law’s general provisions and the wine industry’s specific needs, reflecting a deeper conflict between grassroots governance and statutory law centrism. This paper adopts an “experience-norm” method to examine five core customary practices for lease renewal that have long, repeatedly, and universally applied in the region. Under Article 10 of the Civil Code, a custom may serve as a supplementary source of law if it satisfies longevity, universality, opinio juris, and consistency with public order and good morals. The region’s customary practices meet these criteria. However, due to lack of official recognition and procedural guidance, these customs are marginalized in judicial practice. Judges struggle to ascertain and define them, often resorting to general clauses (e.g., fairness) or rejecting customs via overbroad public order review, leading to inconsistent judgments and high dispute resolution costs. The key to resolving disputes is not a binary choice between customary and statutory law but leveraging market-oriented factor allocation reform under the Implementation Plan for Establishing a Market-Oriented Allocation Mechanism for Factors of Production in the National Grape and Wine Industry Open Development Comprehensive Pilot Zone. The goal is to transform locally embedded “cognitive sources” into institutional dividends of modern governance. The pathway is a tripartite “Appraisal–Platform–Digital” mechanism: (1) establish an industry-oriented value assessment system, using cost method to quantify historical investments and excess earnings method to evaluate brand and terroir value, converting “premium quality, premium price” into judicially reviewable parameters; (2) rely on a unified market-based factor trading platform to upgrade private negotiations into open transactions with public listing and online bidding, consolidating “bargaining customs” and generating fair market prices; (3) implement factor digital certificates using blockchain to certify ownership of land attachments, grapevines, and other assets, preventing uncompensated expropriation upon renewal and stabilizing business expectations. This legal path overcomes the “bargaining in the shadow of state law” dilemma, transforming long-established industry customs from a marginalized source of law into a core basis for adjudication and governance. It provides an operational solution for Ningxia’s vineyard rent disputes and offers a “Chinese Solution” to similar land factor allocation challenges for wine regions worldwide, consistent with OIV sustainable development principles.

Keywords: Vineyard; Land Lease Renewal; Price Dispute; Trade Custom; Article 10 of the Chinese Civil Code; Market-oriented Factor Allocation; Sustainable Development

License: CC BY 4.0

ABSTRACT. The restructuring of global value chains is reshaping the OEM model in the wine industry’s supporting ecosystem. Chinese OEM enterprises, long embedded in low-end segments based on cost advantages, face a “low-end lock-in” with thin profits, technological dependence, and proliferating legal risks. Taking “upholding integrity and pursuing innovation” as its theme, this paper systematically deconstructs the legal risk structure of OEM and its derivatives (ODM, OBM) from economic, legal, and financial perspectives, and explores pathways for value chain upgrading.

The study finds that during organizational learning-driven capability upgrading, substitutive, grafting, and heuristic learning each encounter legal boundaries such as reverse engineering, trade secret infringement, and unauthorized patent integration. In supply chain structuring, information asymmetry and imbalanced contract design in cross-border technology licensing lead to excessive royalty burdens or weakened competition. Government innovation subsidies are effective only when linked to compliance systems. Legal risks exhibit structural superposition: ambiguous IP ownership, hidden infringement, unbalanced licensing, monopolistic conduct in co-opetition, and intertwined corporate governance and cross-border tax issues. In judicial practice, rigorous application of punitive damages (in 2025, 505 IP cases with RMB 1.8 billion total) and horizontal piercing of the corporate veil have significantly raised violation costs and compliance demands.

Financially, legal risks transmit through direct cash flow shocks, off-balance-sheet liabilities, and rising cost of capital. Our “legal risk–financial impact” model shows that major IP litigation can lead to valuation discounts, financing failure, or bankruptcy, with debt financing costs rising 15–20% on average.

To address these risks, we propose a three-dimensional support system: legal compliance, financial risk management, and IP strategy. At the compliance level, establish a standardized contract template library with robust clauses on IP ownership, confidentiality, non-competition, risk allocation, and royalty audit rights, and conduct FTO searches before transformation. At the financial level, implement annual legal compliance audits and a legal risk reserve, and design BEPS-compliant transfer pricing schemes. For dispute resolution, combine industry association mediation with judicial confirmation, and internalize Supreme People’s Court guiding cases as a “negative list” for business conduct. By embedding legal compliance and financial risk management into daily operations, OEM enterprises can shift from a vicious cycle of hidden infringement, passive litigation, and huge compensation to a virtuous track of compliant operations, proactive innovation, and brand value enhancement.

This research provides a systematic legal risk assessment framework for the wine industry’s supporting ecosystem, aligns with OIV’s sustainable development governance philosophy, and supports the high‑quality leap of Chinese manufacturing amid global value chain restructuring.

Keywords OEM; global value chain; intellectual property; piercing the corporate veil; punitive damages; law and economics

ABSTRACT. ‘Gudao Zijing’ is a new wine grape variety derived from a bud mutation of the Cabernet Franc cultivar. The grape clusters are conical or cylindrical, without secondary panicles; the average weight per cluster is 234 g, with the maximum exceeding 282 g. The berries are round and purplish-black, with uniform coloration and consistent ripening. The berries are small, with an average weight of 1.86 g per berry, and can reach over 2.60 g at their largest. The berries are uniformly shaped, have thick skins, medium-thick bloom, yellow-green flesh that is soft and fleshy, and produce colorless juice with a juice yield of over 75%. The soluble solids content is 19.2%, total sugar content is 14.92%, total acidity is 0.68%, amino acid content is 0.91 g/100g, and tannin content is 2420 mg/kg. Wines made from this variety exhibit a gem-like ruby red color, with a harmonious blend of fruity and vinous aromas. They possess just the right amount of Cabernet Sauvignon-like notes, offering a mellow and authentic flavor profile, perfect body, and easy maturation. In the Minquan region, budding occurs around April 10, flowering takes place from May 10 to May 25, and after flowering, the berries begin to grow and swell rapidly. The berry development phase starts around June 10, coloring begins in early July, and fruit ripening commences from August 15 to 25. From bud break to fruit maturity, the entire cycle lasts 123 days.

ABSTRACT. 【Source of parents】Yuniang Ziyu is a medium and early maturing wine grape variety developed by artificial cross breeding of Merlot (Vitis vinifera cv. Merlot) and LN-33(Vitis vinifera cv. LN-33) as parents. 【External feature】The panicle is conical, occasionally with secondary panicle, the fruit grains are compact, and the average panicle weight is 252.70 g. The fruit was medium in size and balanced, with an average weight of 1.53g. The fruit is nearly round, purplish black, evenly colored, medium thick fruit powder, medium thick peel, meat sac, juice, 1 ~ 2 per fruit grain. 【Intrinsic index】The juice is colorless and the pressed grape juice is ruby red. Soluble solid content of ripe fruit was 21.6%, soluble sugar content was 17.46%, total acid content was 0.78%, Vc content was 9.63 mg·100g-1, tannin content was 4680 mg·kg-1. The fruit is sweet and sour, and the flesh has the aroma of plum fruit. 【Fruiting habit】Cultivated in Zhengzhou, the berries began to color in early July, ripened in late July, and matured fully in early August. The fruit development period lasted for 82 days. High germination rate, robust growth.【Winemaking properties】The alcohol content, dry extract content, titrable acid, pH value and sulfur dioxide residue of wine samples were all within the national standard range of dry red wine brewing. The dry red wine is good in flavor and color. 【Resistances】The variety has strong cold tolerance, drought tolerance, disease resistance and good yield. 【Suitable cultivation area】It is cultivated in Henan grape ecologically suitable area and other similar grape ecologically suitable area.

ABSTRACT. Climate variability is increasingly reshaping viticultural conditions and significantly influencing grape composition and wine quality. Under these conditions, the development of adaptive enological technologies requires not only the use of resistant grape varieties but also a deeper understanding of the relationships between grape structure, chemical composition and sensory expression. PIWI grape varieties, characterized by enhanced resistance to fungal diseases and environmental stress, represent a перспективна basis for sustainable and future-oriented winemaking. The present study investigates the structural characteristics of grape berries as functional and predictive indicators influencing technological behavior during vinification and the formation of sensory profiles of wines. The research was conducted on grape samples cultivated in different viticultural regions of Ukraine under diverse climatic conditions, including both PIWI varieties and Vitis vinifera as a comparative reference. A comprehensive analytical approach was applied, including the determination of physicochemical parameters (sugar content, titratable acidity, pH), phenolic composition (total phenolic content and anthocyanins), and detailed mechanical structure of grape berries (proportions of skin, seeds and pulp, berry weight and berry index). Structural parameters were interpreted as key factors governing extraction processes, phenolic balance and the technological potential of grapes during vinification. In parallel, special attention was paid to the role of grape chemical composition in the formation of wine aroma. It is known that up to 90% of the information about wine quality is associated with its aromatic profile, which is formed through complex interactions between volatile and non-volatile compounds. The study considers major groups of aroma-active compounds, including terpenes, norisoprenoids, esters, higher alcohols and volatile phenols, as well as their precursors present in grape berries. These compounds are formed and transformed during fermentation and are significantly influenced by grape composition, yeast metabolism and technological conditions. Experimental microvinifications were performed under controlled conditions to ensure comparability of technological responses. The resulting wines were evaluated using descriptive sensory analysis, allowing the identification of key aroma and flavor descriptors, balance and overall sensory expression. The results demonstrate clear relationships between grape berry structure, chemical composition and wine sensory properties. In particular, variations in skin and seed proportions were associated with differences in phenolic extraction, color stability and aromatic intensity. The study also confirms that the formation of wine aroma is not determined by a single compound, but by the overall profile of aroma-active substances and their synergistic interactions. PIWI varieties exhibited stable technological behavior and the ability to form distinctive and expressive sensory profiles under conditions of climate variability. The conducted research confirms that grape structural parameters, in combination with chemical composition analysis, can be used as effective tools for predicting wine style and optimizing technological decisions. This approach contributes to the development of adaptive, data-driven enological strategies and supports the integration of PIWI varieties into sustainable and resilient winemaking systems, aligned with the global transformation of the wine sector.

ABSTRACT. ‘Beibinghong’ is an excellent interspecific hybrid grape variety bred by the Institute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, derived from Vitis amurensis Rupr. and Vitis vinifera L. Its fruits contain basic nutrients, including proteins, amino acids, vitamins and mineral elements, and are rich in natural bioactive substances such as anthocyanins, resveratrol and superoxide dismutase, presenting high nutritional and health-promoting value.The ‘Beibinghong’ grape exhibits strong cold resistance, disease resistance and stable yield performance. It can withstand extreme low temperatures of −27 °C, showing excellent adaptability to adverse cultivation environments. This cultivar has high sugar content and moderate total acid and tannin levels. The frozen fruits, harvested at an average temperature of −8 °C, can be processed through low-temperature pressing and fermentation to produce high-quality ice red wine. It is the world’s first wild grape variety suitable for ice red wine brewing. At present, this variety has been introduced and cultivated in Russia, Moldova, and multiple provinces and regions in China, including Jilin, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Xinjiang, Hebei and Shandong, with Northeast China as its core producing area.With the continuous expansion of planting scale and rapid industrial development of ‘Beibinghong’ grape, this paper comprehensively reviews recent research progress on its cultivation techniques, fruit quality and enological characteristics. This study aims to provide a theoretical basis and technical reference for the high-quality cultivation, quality regulation and industrial utilization of ‘Beibinghong’ grape.

ABSTRACT. Delayed harvest is a key cultivation practice to enhance the flavor and phenolic quality of Vitis amurensis wines. To determine the optimal harvest time for the Vitis amurensis cultivar ‘Beiguohong’, five different harvest dates were set, and the dynamic changes in fruit soluble solids, titratable acidity, reducing sugars, tannins, and total anthocyanins were measured. The results showed that delaying harvest until approximately October 9th significantly increased reducing sugar content and reduced titratable acidity, while maintaining favorable phenolic compound accumulation, thereby effectively improving the overall fruit quality. A comprehensive evaluation of dry wine quality from delayedharvest ‘Beiguohong’ revealed that tannins, total phenolics, total anthocyanins, and color intensity were significantly increased. The contents of cis and transresveratrol and cisresveratrol glucoside increased, whereas transresveratrol glucoside content significantly decreased. The sensory quality of the delayedharvest ‘Beiguohong’ dry wine was markedly enhanced, with strong typicity. The wine presented a deep purple color, clarity and brilliance; aromas of grass, toast, rose, and fruit; and a fresh, rich, delicate taste with a long and lingering finish. Therefore, the optimal harvest time for ‘Beiguohong’ for dry wine production is around October 9th.

ABSTRACT. While the overall extraction rates of anthocyanins and other polyphenols are well-documented, few studies have conducted high-resolution tracking of individual phenolic compounds and the formation of pigments, such as pyranoanthocyanins (i.e., vitisins), during the fermentation-maceration process. Furthermore, the capacity of specific terroirs to modulate anthocyanin profiles and dictate color stability remains underexplored, particularly in highly reactive and tannin-rich matrices like Nebbiolo wines. This study investigated the effects of growing zone, harvest date, and pre-fermentative cold soak treatments on the extraction rates of phenolic compounds, specifically anthocyanins and their derived pigments, during cv. Nebbiolo winemaking. Grapes from three distinct zones were harvested at two different moments (separated by 10 days). Two vineyards (Zone 1 and 2, respectively) were in Monforte d'Alba at different altitudes (440 and 520 m asl) and with slightly different exposures (166º S and 152º SE). The third vineyard (Zone 3) was in Verduno, with a lower altitude (255 m) and a 217º SW exposure. All experiments were performed under strictly standardized micro-scale conditions. Pigment formation was analyzed via LC-MS/MS, alongside general color and phenolic parameters and basic wine composition. Fermentation evolution was consistent across all samples. However, analysis throughout maceration revealed significant deviations from classical extraction models. Crucially, pyranoanthocyanins displayed diverging rates: Vitisin B derivatives peaked at day 2, while Vitisin A derivatives continued to increase until day 7. Counter to their known chemical stability, these pigments subsequently experienced a slight decrease, likely due to yeast adsorption or physical co-precipitation driven by the high concentration of extracted high molecular weight phenolic compounds, rather than chemical degradation. Grapes from Zone 2 showed the most distinctive evolution. The slower anthocyanin extraction led to delayed vitisin formation exhibiting a higher content at the end of maceration. These results, along with a higher absolute concentration and distinct anthocyanin profile compared to Zone 1 (higher proportion of malvidin-3-O-glucoside and a lower proportion of peonidin-3-O-glucoside), contributed to a significantly higher color intensity compared to the other sites. Conversely, Zone 1 presented higher total polyphenol and total flavonoid levels. While these compounds are involved in co-pigmentation and polymerization reactions, in this case, the higher extraction rates did not result in increased color stability. These findings suggest that in tannin-rich matrices, polyphenolic concentration may not be the primary limiting factor for achieving color stabilization. Indeed, higher phenolic content in the wine did not result in increased stability of the aforementioned pigments. Zone 3 distinguished itself by exhibiting the lowest anthocyanin extraction rate, total phenolic content, and pigment formation, underscoring the significant impact of terroir. Delayed harvest (10 days) showed a significant effect by increasing color intensity (p < 0.05) and anthocyanin extraction (p < 0.001), although it was less pronounced than the influence of the site. A four-day pre-fermentative cold soak did not show significant effects on the wine’s color or phenolic content. This study demonstrates that micro-terroir has a defining role by not only affecting concentrations extracted into wine but also by driving specific anthocyanin profiles and tannin/anthocyanin ratios. These variables may have consequences in the rate of pigment formation and stability, and therefore on wine color intensity and hue. These factors can have a critical impact on the organoleptic quality and visual cue of the wine, attributes which are essential for these high-tannin red wines, as they are frequently designed to age and evolve through time.

ABSTRACT. In recent years, global warming has accelerated the ripening process of wine grapes, which not only affects the accumulation of sugars and other quality related compounds, but may also alter the maturation and modification of berry cell walls, thereby influencing the extractability during the maceration. However, a systematic study on above associations is still lacking regarding how terroir conditions across different regions shape the structural differences in cell wall, and subsequently affect the release of quality components during vinification and the final wine style. In this study, five wine-producing regions/sub-regions in Beijing, Ningxia, Xinjiang across China with different ripening period length were selected, and Cabernet Sauvignon berries were samples during the maturation. The structural changes of berry cell wall have been investigated by using a series of cutting-edged analytical approaches, including comprehensive microarray polymer profiling (CoMPP) for polysaccharide epitope occurrence, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for functional groups, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for monosaccharide composition. In addition, the phenolic parameters and soluble polysaccharides of final wine were also measured for the effect on extraction. The results showed the significant differences in the cell wall structural alteration of Cabernet Sauvignon berries during maturation in different production regions. Major findings include that glycan Microarray revealed that Berries from Beijing (longest ripening period) exhibited the strongest JIM7 signal, indicating the high degree of pectin methyl-esterification which could positively contribute to structural integrity; berries from Ningxia (moderate ripening period) were rich in RG-I side-chain-related epitopes (Arabinan), consistent with their higher Ara content; and berries from Xinjiang (Shortest ripening period) showed higher abundance of hemicellulose epitopes (LM25), which may infer more efficient depectination. In addition to berry cell wall, epitope occurrence of wine soluble polysaccharides further validated these regional characteristics, e.g. wines from Xinjiang released more HG-derived pectin fragments, while wines from Ningxia were rich in arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs). Above glycan microarray information was further confirmed by monosaccharide composition analysis (GC-MS) and functional group analysis (FT-IR). The regional differences in wine polyphenols further confirm that the degradation patterns of polysaccharide structures are intrinsically consistent with the extraction efficiency and stability of phenolic compounds. In summary, this study clarifies, at the polysaccharide level, the key mechanism by which ripening period length regulates cell wall structure alteration and thereby determines the release efficiency of polyphenols and soluble polysaccharides in wine. Those datasets could provide a direct basis for optimizing macerated-fermentation processes based on berry cell wall status for achieving terroir-directed winemaking.

ABSTRACT. The fundamental scientific project is being carried out to develop the thematic direction on the fractionation of light elements isotopes in grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) and related research work, the results of which were presented earlier in 2024 and 2025 at the 45th and 46th World Congresses of Vine and Wine of the International Intergovernmental Organization of Vine & Wine (OIV). As part of the current stage of the scientific project, supported by the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) and implemented at the Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), grape samples at different stages of physiological development were selected in the 2025 season. To study the dynamics of hydrogen isotope fractionation, two Russian geographical regions were selected - “South” (45th parallel – Krasnodar region, Taman Peninsula) and “North” (57th parallel – Tver region, Lake Seliger). The study of isotope fractionation in the intracellular water of grapes and target components that undergo changes during fermentation and technological processes for the production of wine products was carried out using highly selective methods of IRMS/SIRA Mass Spectrometry of stable carbon isotopes 13C/12C ratios and High-resolution Nuclear Magnetic Spectroscopy of deuterium nuclei 2H(D) (qNMR). For the first time, new scientific data have been obtained on the isotope fractionation of hydrogen and carbon isotopes in the components of grapes growing in the southern and northern regions of Russia. For example, the first scientific data, in particular on the reduced levels of enrichment of specific grape components with deuterium 2H(D) and the “heavy” carbon isotope 13C, allow us to draw a preliminary conclusion about the direct influence of natural and climatic parameters on the intensity and dynamics of isotope exchange. The minimum values for the carbon isotope composition (δ13CVPDB) in carbohydrates and organic acids in samples of red and white grapes from the “North” region were -29.90 and -29.38 ‰, respectively, and the level of deuterium enrichment (D/H)a of intracellular water decreased to a value of 151.42 ppm. For samples of red and white grapes from the “South” region at a similar stage of technical ripeness, the minimum values of the above indicators were δ13CVPDB = -23.07 and -23.68 ‰ (for carbohydrates and organic acids, respectively), (D/H)a = 164.76 ppm (for intracellular water). It should be noted that the 2025 season was characterized for samples of red and white grape varieties of the Taman Peninsula by a high level of δ13CVPDB for carbohydrates, the maximum value of which was -22.80 ‰. The validation of the results obtained in 2025 within the framework of experiments in 2026 using a chemometric approach with algorithms for processing large amounts of experimental data (e.g. PCA, UMAP, t-SNE, PLS and/or others), which is provided by the research program, will allow to obtain the necessary and sufficient set of quantitative data describing the correlation and classification dependencies between the composition and properties of target product components and natural and climatic factors, and also applicable industry practices. In addition to the isotopic characteristics of the original grape samples and experimental wines made from them, selected in the “South” and “North” regions, the component composition was studied for a number of parameters, including carbohydrates (D-glucose, D-fructose, sucrose), organic acids (citric acid, tartaric acid, L-malic acid, L-lactic acid, acetic acid), volatile fermentation products (ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol).

ABSTRACT. Background: Alcohol consumption behaviours may reflect broader psychosocial and lifestyle characteristics associated with eating disorder risk among young adults. While moderate wine consumption is traditionally embedded within Mediterranean dietary culture, the behavioural context and frequency of alcohol intake may influence health-related outcomes beyond alcoholic drink quantity alone. Purpose: To examine the relationship between alcohol consumption patterns and eating disorder risk among young adults, focusing on the frequency and context of wine consumption behaviours. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 372 university students and young adults (mean age: 21.1 ± 4.4 years). Eating disorder risk was assessed using the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) and categorized into low versus high probability of disordered eating. Participants provided information regarding alcohol consumption behaviours across multiple alcoholic drinks, including wine, beer, cocktails, traditional alcoholic beverages, and other alcoholic drinks. Consumption patterns included frequency, quantity per occasion, and contextual drinking behaviours. Associations between alcohol-related variables and eating disorder risk were examined using chi-square analyses, while odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated for selected comparisons. Results: Significant associations emerged regarding both the frequency and contextual patterns of alcohol consumption across alcoholic drinks but not for overall alcohol consumption (p=0.818). For wine consumption, participants with reported intake several days per week demonstrated a substantially higher prevalence of elevated EAT-26 risk compared with monthly consumers (30.3% vs. 13.0%, p<0.001), while daily consumers exhibited the highest prevalence overall (55.6%). Weekly wine consumers had nearly threefold higher odds of elevated eating disorder risk compared with monthly consumers (OR=2.90, 95% CI: 1.47–5.71). Similar frequency-related associations were observed for beer (p<0.001), alcoholic cocktails (p<0.001), traditional alcoholic beverages (p<0.001), and other alcoholic drinks (p=0.015). The context of alcohol consumption was also strongly associated with eating disorder risk. Participants that reported alcoholic beverages while relaxing at home demonstrated higher prevalence of elevated EAT-26 scores compared with those consuming alcohol mainly during social outings. For wine, elevated eating disorder risk was observed in 45.5% of home-based consumers versus 15.6% of social consumers (p<0.001), corresponding to more than fourfold higher odds of elevated EAT-26 risk (OR=4.51, 95% CI: 1.76–11.55). Comparable patterns were identified for beer (36.4% vs. 15.1%, p<0.001), traditional alcoholic beverages (50.0% vs. 16.2%, p<0.001), other alcoholic drinks (33.3% vs. 16.5%, p<0.001), and alcoholic cocktails (50.0% vs. 16.3%, p=0.005). In contrast, the quantity of alcohol consumed per occasion was not significantly associated with eating disorder risk across alcoholic drinks. Subscale analyses further indicated that frequent and home-based alcohol consumption patterns were predominantly associated with the Oral Control and Bulimia/Food Preoccupation dimensions of the EAT-26, particularly among frequent wine consumers (p=0.027 and p<0.001, respectively). Conclusion: The findings suggest that behavioral and contextual dimensions of alcohol consumption, rather than alcohol intake itself or beverage quantity, may be associated with disordered eating tendencies among young adults. Frequent and solitary/home-based alcohol consumption patterns appear particularly linked to elevated eating disorder risk. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating psychosocial and behavioral perspectives into discussions surrounding responsible alcohol consumption, public health, and social sustainability within the Viti vinicultural sector.

ABSTRACT. Growing public health concerns over alcohol consumption, combined with evolving lifestyle trends, are fostering the emergence of no- and low- alcohol (NoLo) wine products. In Italy, NoLo beverages currently represent around 1.8% of total wine consumption, a share which is expected to increase following the introduction of a national regulatory framework for dealcoholized wines in December 2025. Understanding which consumer segments are most receptive to these products and what lifestyle factors drive acceptance, is increasingly relevant for producers, policymakers and public health stakeholders. This study uses a lifestyle-based segmentation approach to investigate how health and sport orientations influence Italian consumers’ acceptance of dealcoholized wine. Data were collected via a structured online questionnaire administrated to a nationally representative sample of 1,228 Italian wine consumers, stratified by age, gender and geographic distribution. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified three independent lifestyle dimensions underlying consumer behaviour: Hedonism, Health orientation and Lifestyle activity, this latter capturing both sport engagement and frequency of social dining. These components confirmed the multidimensional nature of wine-related lifestyle orientations and served as the basis for subsequent segmentation. Building on these dimensions, a Two-Step Cluster Analysis revealed four distinct consumer profiles. Disengaged Pragmatists (28%) showed moderate health concern combined with low engagement in active or sport-related behaviours. Active lifestyle-oriented consumers (27%) were primarily defined by strong sport orientation and dynamic social habits. Pleasure-health balancers (20%) combined hedonic motivations with high awareness of health and well-being. Finally, Hedonic consumers (25%) displayed low involvement with both health and sport dimensions, prioritizing sensory gratification and habit. A Correspondence Analysis (CA) mapped the associations between these profiles and wine choice attributes, revealing clear and interpretable patterns. Active lifestyle-oriented consumers tended to sensory and dynamic attributes such as red and sparkling wine, aroma and consumption context. Pleasure-health balancers showed affinity with white rosé wines, reflecting a more moderate and balanced approach. Hedonic consumers were strongly associated with taste and context, while Disengaged Pragmatists gravitated toward functional attributes such as food pairing and the relaxing effect of wine. In terms of dealcoholized wine acceptance, Pleasure-health balancers reported the highest purchase intention, followed by Disengaged Pragmatists and Active lifestyle-oriented consumers, while Hedonic consumers showed the greatest resistance. Younger consumers (18–44 years) displayed consistently stronger openness across all segments, with the effect being most pronounced within the Pleasure–health balancers profile. These findings demonstrate that lifestyle segmentation is a powerful lens for identifying priority targets in the emerging NoLo wine market. Among the identified profiles, Active lifestyle-oriented consumers and Pleasure-health balancers emerged as the most receptive segments, while Hedonic consumers displayed the greatest resistance. In particular, the Pleasure-health balancers profile proved strategically relevant, as it reconciled sensory pleasure with health goals, positioning dealcoholized wine as a credible compromise within evolving consumption patterns. These results offer actionable guidance for producers and policymakers working toward healthier and more socially sustainable wine consumption.

ABSTRACT. Since its introduction to the Central Plains of China via the Silk Road during the Han Dynasty, relying on the edification of indigenous Chinese cultural concepts such as “medicine-food homology concept”and “daily health preservation”，wine has formed wellness cognition consistent with TCM health-preserving theories, popular dietary regimen concept and folk food culture in China.This paper systematically traces the developmental trajectory of Chinese wine's wellness perception, elucidates its evolution—from initial introduction and conceptual formation to modern deconstruction, reconstruction, and diversified contemporary development. It provides an in-depth analysis of the core meanings, application scenarios, and cultural characteristics of wine-related wellness narratives across different historical periods. Finally, based on the current development status of the wine industry in the new era and the demands for cultural dissemination, this study analyzes the dissemination phenomena and cognitive biases of wine-based wellness narratives in contemporary China, identifies two major issues in current wine health communication: first, an over-reliance on a single communication model dominated by mandatory sales advertisements; second, widespread public cognitive biases, including blind faith in the health benefits of wine and skepticism about its therapeutic value. Addressing these industry challenges and communication shortcomings, this paper further explores optimization pathways for localized wellness narratives of Chinese wine in terms of inheritance, preservation, innovative development, and cross-platform dissemination, aiming to provide theoretical references and practical guidance for empowering the high-quality development of the Chinese wine industry through wellness culture.

ABSTRACT. Cover crops are increasingly recognized as a central component of agroecological management in perennial cropping systems, particularly vineyards, where they represent a sustainable alternative to intensive tillage and the partial or total use of herbicides. In irrigated vineyards of arid and semi-arid regions, however, their implementation presents specific constraints related to water availability, nutrient competition, species adaptability, and management intensity. This work synthesizes more than twenty years of experimental research and on-farm experiences conducted in irrigated vineyards of Mendoza, Argentina, aimed at evaluating the agronomic performance of cover crops, their contribution to ecosystem services, and their effects on vine growth, yield, and grape and wine quality. A broad range of perennial and annual cover crop species, mainly grasses and legumes, were evaluated under surface and drip irrigation systems. Assessments included soil cover percentage, biomass production, regrowth capacity after mowing, flowering duration, and adaptation to local agroclimatic conditions. Under surface irrigation, more than 50% of the evaluated species achieved soil cover equal to or greater than 60%, with several perennial grasses and legumes exceeding 80%. Species such as tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata), phalaris (Phalaris aquatica), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), red clover (Trifolium pratense), and forage chicory (Cichorium intybus) stood out for their high biomass production and persistence. Among annual species, winter covers such as vetch (Vicia sativa), rye (Secale cereale), triticale (xTriticosecale), and sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) showed high vegetative productivity. In addition, annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum) exhibited strong regrowth and natural reseeding capacity, contributing to their persistence under repeated mowing. Extended flowering species, particularly perennial legumes such as white and red clovers (Trifolium repens and T. pratense), enhanced functional biodiversity by providing floral resources for natural enemies of vineyard pests. Field trials and commercial vineyard experiences demonstrated that permanent cover crops improved soil physical and chemical properties after several years of establishment. Increases were observed in soil organic matter and nitrogen content within the upper 30 cm of the soil profile, together with greater aggregate stability and higher water infiltration rates. Nevertheless, permanent covers reduced vine vegetative growth and grape yield, with average yield reductions ranging from 16% under annual covers to 33–42% under perennial covers under border irrigation. Despite these reductions, grape composition improved, with higher concentrations of anthocyanins and total polyphenols, resulting in wines with greater varietal typicity and higher sensory preference. Under drip irrigation, the establishment of cover crops proved more challenging. Drought-tolerant perennial grasses and native C4 species exhibited lower water consumption and greater water-use efficiency, although competitive effects on vine growth were still observed. Integrated agroecological management approaches combining multispecies cover crops, organic amendments, biofertilizers, and biodiversity-enhancing practices increased system resilience, improving soil fertility, biological activity, and arthropod diversity while maintaining phytosanitary conditions, although with moderate yield reductions (22–25%) and enhanced enological quality. Overall, the results confirm that cover crops are a strategic tool for redesigning irrigated vineyard agroecosystems under an agroecological framework, if species selection and management are carefully adapted to local environmental conditions and production objectives.

ABSTRACT. The increasing occurrence of high-temperature and excessive solar radiation events during grape ripening has promoted the use of shading nets in viticulture, especially in vertically shoot-positioned vineyards where row orientation may intensify afternoon bunch exposure. These covers can modulate bunch-zone microclimate, reduce sunburn and moderate the progression of maturity while maintaining canopy physiological functionality. This study evaluated the effects of green and black Raschel nets, laterally installed from fruit set (BBCH 71) to harvest, on microclimate, radiation, vine physiology and berry composition in a commercial espalier-trained Grenache vineyard. Rows were oriented approximately NNW–SSE, with a deviation of nearly 16° from the north–south axis. Nets were placed only over the basal canopy, covering the bunch zone exposed to afternoon sunlight, without shading the entire canopy.

Uncovered control, green Raschel net and black Raschel net were evaluated as treatments. Meteorological and bioclimatic indices were recorded in triplicate using iButton sensors, together with measurements of intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (PARi), leaf area index, physiological variables at veraison, sunburn severity and harvest parameters. The nets mainly reduced extreme heat events. Maximum temperature decreased from 44.83 °C in the control to 40.33 °C under both nets, while mean maximum temperature decreased from 36.61 °C to 34.44 °C under the green net and 33.84 °C under the black net. In contrast, mean temperature, minimum temperature, growing degree days and cool night index were not significantly affected. The black net was the most effective treatment against severe thermal stress, reducing the number of hours above 35 °C from 39.33 to 16.00 h and decreasing afternoon exposure to temperatures above 35 °C.

Incident radiation in the productive zone was also reduced by both nets. In the middle canopy zone, PARi decreased from 1712.10 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ in the control to 1208.25 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ under the green net and 1149.50 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ under the black net, corresponding to reductions of 29.4% and 32.9%, respectively. In the lower canopy zone, where bunch shading was concentrated, reductions reached 24.8% under the green net and 41.0% under the black net.

At veraison, stem or xylem water potential (Ψstem), used as an indicator of vine water status and water tension within the vascular system, showed less restrictive values under the black net than in the control and green net treatments. This suggests that reduced extreme temperature and incident radiation improved vine water balance. Both nets increased the chlorophyll index compared with the control, whereas the fluorescence index did not differ significantly, indicating that basal bunch-zone shading did not impair canopy photochemical functionality.

At harvest, sunburn severity decreased from 18.47% in the control to 9.12% under the green net and 6.08% under the black net, equivalent to reductions of 50.6% and 67.1%, respectively. The nets also modified berry growth and maturity. Soluble solids were highest in the control (25.15 °Brix), whereas the green and black nets reached 22.40 and 23.43 °Brix, respectively. Berry pH and total acidity were not significantly affected. The weight of 200 berries increased from 283.50 g in the control to 370.67 g and 347.33 g under the green and black nets, respectively. Overall, lateral Raschel nets, especially black nets, reduced extreme temperatures, incident radiation and sunburn in Grenache, representing a practical adaptation strategy for commercial vineyards exposed to high afternoon solar radiation.

ABSTRACT. Climate is known as an essential factor for grapevine phenology, yield and quality, and climate change may challenge or open new opportunities of the sustainability of wine grape production. Enhancing viticulture climate resilience has become a critical global challenge both for China and the global grape and wine industry. Building resilient viticulture needs to integrate multi-scale mathematical models and interdisciplinary approaches to achieve sustainable development in the face of climate change. To this end, we conducted research on multi-scale mathematical models and high-throughput phenomics in China for both short- to moderate-term as well as long-term mitigation strategies, including precision cultivation and climate smart breeding, respectively. The main findings are as follows: Regarding precision cultivation, we explored the characteristics of terroirs in Ningxia region and identified key terroir drivers for discriminative quality specificities of each sub-region. At the Ningxia region level, we proposed precision zoning strategies for vineyards that comprehensively considered current climate conditions and future climate scenarios, providing decision-making support to ensure the industry’s sustainable development; By integrating climate data from China’s major production regions over the past 60 years, we established a phenological model tailored to local conditions. This enabled precise prediction of ripening periods based on sugar accumulation and assessed pre-harvest frost risks for varieties with different ripening characteristics, thereby providing scientific support for selecting suitable varieties in each production area. We developed a three-dimensional structure-function model for water-carbon coupling in grapevines (GrapevineXL). By simulating water transport, leaf gas exchange, carbon allocation, and fruit growth and quality formation under various genotype-environment combinations, we quantified the effects of climate change on berry fresh weight, ripening time, and sugar content, providing a mechanistic basis for formulating precision control strategies such as irrigation and canopy management. In the field of smart breeding, we explored model-driven ideal-type design and high-throughput phenomics technologies. Using process-based predictive models, we conducted virtual experiments for future hotter and drier climate scenarios or metabolic pathway engineering modifications, rapidly screening for ideal-type designs that combine high yield, superior quality, and high resource utilization efficiency. We developed a high-throughput fruit phenotyping system capable of capturing over 120 phenotypic parameters per fruit per second. By integrating these data with the genetic maps of breeding populations, we conducted association analyses and identified new molecular markers for fruit quality. These findings provide decision-making support for the regional planning of industrial science and precision cultivation, laying the foundation for the targeted breeding of new varieties that are adapted to the diverse climates of China’s production areas and meet market demands for characteristic quality traits.

ABSTRACT. Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivation in arid and semi-arid regions is increasingly limited by freshwater scarcity, leading to the use of treated urban wastewater for irrigation. However, tertiary-treated effluents and their reverse osmosis (RO)-derived concentrates introduce higher salinity and multi-ionic loads that can alter soil-plant interactions. How these multi-ionic inputs move through the soil-plant system and drive cultivar-specific responses remain unclear. A season-long lysimeter experiment was conducted under net-house conditions in the southern Negev desert (Israel). Two cultivars, Barbera and Muscat, were grown in 20-L lysimeters filled with a sand-organic soil mixture representative of coarse-textured desert soils. This system promoted drainage and allowed tracking of irrigation-derived ions through leachate and plant tissues. Four irrigation treatments were applied: tap water, tertiary-treated wastewater, and two multi-ionic effluents generated by concentrating the tertiary water two- and four-fold using reverse osmosis. Irrigation volumes and nutrient inputs were kept constant. The treatments established a clear gradient in salinity and ion concentrations. Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) increased from tap water to the 2X treatment but did not increase further under 4X, indicating a decoupling between salinity and sodium hazard at a higher concentrations. Irrigation chemistry was consistently transferred to the root zone, as shown by strong relationships between irrigation and leachate salinity. In contrast, soil salinity at harvest showed only small differences between treatments, indicating strong leaching in the coarse substrate. Despite this, continuous ionic input maintained exposure at the root level, enabling plant uptake. Sodium and chloride were not retained in the soil but showed strong coupling between leachate and leaf concentrations, with higher accumulation in Muscat than in Barbera. Plant responses differed between cultivars. Barbera showed strong sensitivity under 2X effluents, with reduced root growth and biomass and thicker roots, but these effects did not increase further under 4X, indicating a non-linear, threshold-type response. In contrast, Muscat maintained stable root structure across treatments despite reduced biomass, suggesting structural tolerance. Plant water status and gas exchange remained stable across treatments. Metabolite changes were limited in Barbera but more pronounced in Muscat. These results show that grapevine responses to irrigation with multi-ionic effluents depend not only on salinity, but also on ion composition and sodium hazard. Cultivar-specific differences highlight the importance of root traits and ion regulation for tolerance. This work provides a mechanistic basis to evaluate plant tolerance under multi-ionic irrigation in arid viticulture.

ABSTRACT. The vineyards frequently require irrigation during the summer, depending on both spring rainfall and soil maintenance, especially when using cover crops. Therefore, it is highly beneficial to get a deeper understanding of the effects of summer deficit irrigation on the vineyard's agronomic response and grape quality, in order to guide cultivation decisions in a context of environmental sustainability, including cover crops. Throughout the 2024 growing season, a study was conducted on the agronomic and qualitative response of the vineyard to weekly deficit irrigation (30% ETo) from pea size stage until harvest (99 mm), using drip irrigation, in the Duero valley, over 800 m.a.s.l. of altitude. The vineyard, of cv. Tempranillo, grafted onto Fercal rootstock, with vine distances of 2.5 x 1.2 m, vertically trellis trained and pruned as Guyot Poussard method, was cultivated using cover crop in alternate rows until June. Four randomized blocks were established, with elementary plots of 40 vines (4 rows of 10 vines). Deficit irrigation resulted in differences in vegetative development and grape production compared to non-irrigation cultivation, increasing pruning wood weight by 7% and grape yield by 14%. This irrigation also clearly affected grape composition, reducing sugars, total acidity, tartaric acid, and polyphenols, but increasing pH and malic acid. Further research is recommended in subsequent years, given the annual climatic influence on vineyard performance.

ABSTRACT. In the face of accelerating climate change, the adaptation of vineyards requires tools capable of linking soil variability, the microclimate and the physioloPGIcal response of the vine. This study proposes an integrated approach based on geophysical soil mapping and using data from local weather stations over the past five to ten years to inform decisions at both the plot and regional levels. The approach was implemented across four Moldovan vineyards located in Purcari (Ștefan Vodă PGI), Bostavan (Valul lui Traian PGI), Onești and Chetrosu (PGI Codru). Apparent electrical resistivity measurements (around 1200 hectares) enabled the spatial characterisation of different soil types and the estimation of Water Holding Capacity, root penetration depth and viticultural potential (121 soil profiles and over 450 soil analysis), providing an objective basis for the selection of rootstocks, prioritising irrigation and the adjustment of viticultural practices such as cover crop management, through a dynamic water model. The approach is complemented by monitoring water stress via δC13, capacitive sensors, and grape yield per plot to assess vigour, as well as analyses of grape must to characterise the sugar/acidity balance. By linking soil properties, weather data and viticultural indicators, this method enables the development of a more precise, robust and sustainable adaptation strategy. It provides a repeatable and transferable framework for resilient, low-input wine production that is better adapted to future climate constraints.

ABSTRACT. Climate change is increasingly altering grapevine performance and berry composition, with heat and water deficit affecting sugar-acid balance, phenolic maturity, anthocyanin accumulation and aroma formation. Existing adaptation strategies, including cultivar replacement, rootstock selection, canopy management and irrigation adjustment, are essential but often constrained by economic cost, regulation, regional identity and implementation time. This review evaluates whether grapevine-associated microbiomes can be used as a complementary component of climate-resilient viticulture. Evidence from grapevine and other crop systems indicates that beneficial microorganisms can modulate hormone signaling, improve osmotic adjustment, limit oxidative stress and influence secondary metabolism. Across crops, drought frequently enriches Actinobacteria and other monoderm bacteria in the rhizosphere, whereas phyllosphere communities respond to heat and desiccation through shifts in stress-protective functions. In grapevine, emerging evidence links microbial terroir to regional signatures and berry quality. In particular, carposphere Sphingomonas has been associated with C6 aldehyde volatiles, and inoculation evidence further supports its role in modifying berry volatile profiles. However, the use of microbial terroir for climate adaptation remains limited by the lack of field-based causal studies under combined heat and drought. Three priorities are proposed: characterizing microbiome recruitment in the rhizosphere, phyllosphere and carposphere under realistic climate stress; establishing causal links between specific taxa and traits related to vine resilience and berry quality; and integrating microbial inoculants and microbiome-supportive practices into vineyard management. Microbial terroir should therefore be considered not as a replacement for existing adaptation strategies, but as an additional biological lever to support sustainable grape production and preserve wine typicity under climate change.

ABSTRACT. [Objective] This study aims to examine the impact of root-zone targeted irrigation (RTI) on the dynamics of soil water and nutrient distribution, root system architecture, and the quality attributes of grape berries and the resulting wine. [Methods] Three-year-old 'Cabernet Sauvignon' grapevines were utilized as experimental material to establish four distinct treatments: conventional drip irrigation (DI), 100% RTI, 75% RTI, and 50% RTI. This study analyzed the regulatory effects of these treatments on water movement across various soil layers (0–60 cm), root development, and the quality of grape berries and wine. [Results] (1) The findings on water movement patterns demonstrated that RTI treatment, by directly channeling water to the zones occupied by grape roots, achieved a more advantageous distribution of water within the deeper soil strata compared to the DI treatment. (2) The RTI treatment facilitated the movement of nutrients towards regions with high root density via directed water transport. Relative to the DI treatment, the concentrations of alkali-soluble nitrogen, available phosphorus, readily available potassium, and organic matter in the 20-60 cm soil layer were 1.19 to 1.34 times greater than those observed in the 100% RTI treatment. In contrast, under the 75% RTI treatment, nutrient levels in the 20-60 cm soil layer were comparable to those in the DI treatment. (3) In the DI treatment, root hairs were predominantly located within the 0-20 cm soil depth, whereas the 100%, 75%, and 50% RTI treatments exhibited a primary concentration within the 30-70 cm range. Additionally, vessel density under the 75% and 50% RTI treatments was observed to be 25% and 100% greater, respectively, compared to the DI treatment. Conversely, the average vessel diameter demonstrated an inverse pattern, being 19% and 97% smaller, respectively, than that observed under the DI treatment. (4) The Ψb values for the DI, 100%, and 75% RTI treatments were observed to be within the range indicative of no water stress (0 to -0.2 MPa). In contrast, the Ψb value for the 50% RTI treatment was within the range associated with mild water stress (-0.25 to -0.35 MPa). Relative to the DI treatment, the 50% RTI treatment resulted in increases in soluble solids, tannin, total anthocyanin, amino acids, and total flavonoids by 5.43%, 12.95%, 25.35%, 25.95%, and 40.04%, respectively. Consequently, the overall quality of the wine grapes was enhanced by more than 30%.(5) A total of 42 major volatile compounds were identified in both grapes and wine. Under 50% regulated deficit irrigation (RTI) conditions, the content of β-damascone increased by 37.69% in grape berries and 21.24% in wine, compared to deficit irrigation (DI) conditions. This increase contributes sweet aromas reminiscent of violets and ripe blackberries to the grape berries and wine. [Conclusion], RTI approach optimizes the structure of root vascular tissues and the distribution of nutrients in deeper soil layers, thereby reducing nutrient loss from the surface layer and enhancing nutrient storage in deeper layers. This method effectively minimizes nutrient losses due to evaporation and runoff, improves water use efficiency, and enhances the quality of grape berries and wine. Consequently, it provides a theoretical foundation for precision irrigation techniques in arid regions.

ABSTRACT. Addressing single-fruit variability is essential for disentangling the physiological consequences of environmental constraints on water relations and primary metabolite accumulation pathways, both of which undergo major developmental transitions from anthesis to ripening and terminal berry shrivelling. In this study, we investigated the impact of water deficit on berry growth and metabolite dynamics, including glucose, fructose, tartaric acid, and malic acid, across sixteen genetically diverse Vitis vinifera cultivars and fungus-tolerant hybrids. Plants were subjected to three contrasting water regimes: well-watered (WW), moderate water stress (MWS), and severe water stress (SWS), spanning conditions from comfortable water balance to levels inducing partial leaf shedding. Six representative genotypes were subsequently selected for in-depth single-berry analyses.

Ripening phenology and berry asynchrony were strongly influenced by water availability. Unexpectedly, in several cultivars, ripening was significantly delayed, or even completely suppressed, under WW conditions, whereas MWS appeared necessary to trigger the second phase of berry growth, typically associated with sugar accumulation and malate degradation. Under SWS conditions (Ψstem < −1.2 MPa), ripening still occurred in all genotypes but was accompanied by impaired berry growth and reduced sugar accumulation. In many cases, the second growth phase was partially replaced by berry shrivelling occurring at relatively low sugar concentration and accumulation levels.

Water deficit also reduced the degree of asynchrony in sugar accumulation among berries, although individual berries within the same cluster still exhibited heterogeneous water budgets and dilution effects. Notably, water stress enhanced malate degradation, leading to a partial decoupling between malate breakdown and sugar accumulation.

Overall, these results highlight the complex role of water availability in regulating grape berry ripening at the single-fruit level and provide new insights into the physiological and metabolic plasticity of grapevine responses to drought conditions under climate change scenarios.

ABSTRACT. Ongoing climate change is affecting wine production conditions, organoleptic characteristics and marketing rules.

To address these issues, the French wine industry has started a collective approach and has built a strategy (https://doi.org/10.58233/J0utfOun) signed by the minister of agriculture in 2021. This national action plan has based on a foresight exercise carried out in the frame of the INRAE-LACCAVE project (2012-2021). The VITILIENCE project is part of this action plan, established in close collaboration with regional industry stakeholders in order to design a structuring national project with strong local roots.

VITILIENCE aims to address adaptation and mitigation issues by integrating the specific expectations of different wine-growing regions. Funded by the Special Account for Agricultural and Rural Development (CASDAR) and led by the French Institute of Vine and Wine (IFV), VITILIENCE brings together 20 partners. It has enabled the creation of a network of 17 innovative demonstrators in 12 wine-growing regions with the aim to improve the resilience of French vineyards to climate change.

The “VITILIENCE” project aims to identify, stimulate the development of, and facilitate the adoption by winegrowers, advisors, and trainers of wine-growing systems adapted to climate change, while contributing to its mitigation (through measures such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting carbon storage in soils, etc.). To accelerate and broaden the adoption of the various solutions identified within this plan, the project aims to establish “demonstration sites” in each wine-growing region. These sites can be farms, vineyard plots, and wineries which are working together in a network will implement combinations of innovative practices. They will also serve as venues for “Climate Tours,” welcoming target groups such as winegrowers, advisors, students, technical experts, and journalists for demonstrations and field visits. To help choose which levers to combine, preliminary work was carried out on adaptation and mitigation solutions. An inventory of viticultural and oenological practices is being compiled, assessing their costs, benefits, and environmental impacts. In addition, ongoing research seeks to identify innovative systems already adopted by winegrowers, along with two case studies from other wine-producing countries that are already experiencing the effects of extreme global warming. All these findings will be put into a knowledge hub for the French wine industry.

In addition, a working group of scientists and technical experts has been established to share methodologies, provide expertise, and analyze common features across different wine regions. Furthermore, to encourage anticipation, some demonstrators will participate to a modelling exercise in order to simulate agronomic and environmental performances of the selected levers looking ahead to 2050.

Finally, to create this link, twelve regional coordinators, each representing designated organizations, are responsible for managing the network within their respective regions. This governance, combined with strong communication and coordination supported by regional demonstrators, will facilitate the large-scale deployment of sustainable practices across the French wine sector.

ABSTRACT. Climate change has increased the importance of preserving and studying indigenous grapevine cultivars as valuable genetic resources for sustainable viticulture. Telti Kuruk is a rare indigenous white wine grape cultivar currently cultivated exclusively in Ukraine and recognized as an important component of the viticultural heritage of the Northern Black Sea region.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the adaptive potential of Telti Kuruk under changing climatic conditions through the assessment of sensory, physicochemical, and mechanical characteristics of different clones grown in distinct terroirs. Two clones, both own-rooted and grafted on rootstocks, were investigated. Particular attention was given to berry sensory attributes, including the perception of acidity, sweetness, bitterness, and salinity, which are important indicators of grape maturity and technological suitability for winemaking.

The results revealed significant differences among clones and growing locations. Variations in sensory and mechanical characteristics confirmed the strong influence of terroir on grape quality and demonstrated different adaptive responses of the clones to environmental conditions. The findings indicate that Telti Kuruk possesses considerable potential for adaptation to climate change and represents a promising cultivar for the production of high-quality terroir-driven wines in Ukraine.

ABSTRACT. This study investigated the alleviating effects of exogenous sodium silicate on saline-alkaline stress and its underlying physiological mechanisms in Cabernet Sauvignon grapevine seedlings. The results showed that saline-alkaline stress significantly inhibited seedling growth and root development, disrupted ion homeostasis, and induced excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and membrane lipid peroxidation. Exogenous sodium silicate application significantly increased plant biomass and improved root architectural traits, enhanced leaf relative water content, reduced Na⁺ accumulation, and increased the K⁺/Na⁺ ratio. In addition, sodium silicate decreased the superoxide anion (O₂⁻) production rate, relative electrical conductivity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, while increasing antioxidant enzyme activities as well as the contents of ascorbic acid (AsA), soluble proteins, and soluble sugars. These findings indicate that sodium silicate effectively alleviates saline-alkaline stress by improving root structure, maintaining ion homeostasis, enhancing antioxidant defense, and strengthening osmotic adjustment capacity, thereby increasing the salt tolerance of grapevine seedlings. This study provides a theoretical basis for grape seedling cultivation and the application of silicon-based management strategies in saline-alkaline soils.

ABSTRACT. It is known that foliar treatments on vines with extracts of the brown algae “Ascophyllum nodosum” produce bio-stimulant effects by affecting physiological processes such as nutrient absorption and transport, promoting root and aerial growth of the vines and the technological and phenolic ripening of the grapes. Another key property is that it promotes tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress by activating natural defenses. To evaluate the bio-stimulant effects of a pure and natural extract of Ascophyllum nodosum, research was conducted on Sangiovese vines in Tuscany. In 2025, Sangiovese vines grown in Cerreto Guidi (AR) were foliar treated (2-2.5 L/ha) during the growing season with an extract of “Ascophyllum nodosum” (ELITESEA™, BASF, Cesano Maderno) and compared with an untreated control (TNT) according to a randomized block design. The treatments were as follows: three pre-flowering treatments (PRF treatments); three post-flowering treatments (PSF treatments); and six treatments, three pre-flowering and three post-flowering (COM treatments). Leaf water potential, photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence, and canopy reflectance indices were measured. At harvest, yield per vine, grape composition, and the concentration of anthocyanins and total polyphenols in the skin were analyzed. The COM treatment vines showed higher values for photosynthetic assimilation, stomatal conductance, and leaf transpiration. Regarding water status, the TNT and PRF vines showed a marked decrease in midday stem water potential, indicating greater water stress in July. Regarding canopy reflectance indices, the PSF vines showed the highest average values for NDVI, GNDVI, NDRE, and LCI. The TNT vines showed the lowest values for NDVI, NDRE, and LCI, while they showed the highest value for OSAVI. At harvest, the untreated vines (TNT) recorded the lowest yield per vine, with lowest average bunch and berry weights than the other treatments. Conversely, the PSF vines showed higher values in all yield components, with a greater average bunch weight, and berry weight, suggesting a positive effect of the treatments compared to the control. Grape sugar content was higher in the PSF and TNT treatments, while PSF and COM expressed higher values of malic acid and readily assimilable nitrogen (APA). Grapes from the PSF vines showed the lowest anthocyanin levels among the treatments, indicating lower phenolic accumulation. Treatments with Ascophyllum nodosum extracts, particularly in the PSF thesis, appear to be able to modulate both production and ripening, promoting slightly higher yields and more balanced ripening, without excessive sugar accumulation and with a more stable acidity profile. In conclusion, bio-stimulation treatments represent an effective strategy for managing the ripening of Sangiovese grapes in viticultural settings subject to thermal stress or premature ripening.

ABSTRACT. The contemporary wine sector is undergoing a profound structural transformation driven by the convergence of environmental, economic and social factors that are reshaping the conditions under which wine is produced, traded and perceived within the global market. Climate change, the increasing fragmentation of international trade and the emergence of new consumption patterns require a legal reflection capable of supporting the sector through a complex and accelerated transition. This paper proposes the construction of a legal and economic model grounded in the principle of resilience, understood not merely as the capacity to respond to crises, but as an actual regulatory criterion and guiding principle for governance within the global wine market. From a legal perspective, resilience may be defined as the capacity of the legal order to identify structural vulnerabilities, develop effective solutions and translate them into shared rules capable of preserving the equilibrium of the system when confronted with profound transformations. The model is structured around three essential stages: identification of the critical issue, legal definition of the solution and regulation aimed at ensuring continuity and systemic stability. The adopted perspective connects past, present and future. The past represents the historical foundation of wine law, traditionally centred on the protection of origin, territorial value and product quality. The present reveals a phase of discontinuity in which established legal frameworks are challenged by global dynamics. The future therefore requires legal instruments capable not only of preserving existing heritage, but also of governing change by transforming uncertainty into regulatory opportunity. The first core issue concerns environmental sustainability. Before competitiveness, the sector must preserve its capacity to continue producing. Rising temperatures, water scarcity, altered seasonal cycles and extreme weather events directly affect productive continuity. This requires common rules capable of making sustainability a structural condition for market access by regulating water management, carbon footprint, phytosanitary treatments, biodiversity protection, energy efficiency and environmental traceability throughout the entire production chain, from vineyard to winery. The second issue concerns international trade and the effective marketability of the final product. Growing exposure to geopolitical tensions, tariffs and regulatory barriers requires a model capable of guaranteeing legal certainty, regulatory convergence and real market accessibility. The objective is to establish a harmonised system capable of balancing product quality protection, consumer safety and freedom of trade, while promoting reciprocity and dialogue among legal systems, with particular attention to Asian markets. The third issue concerns social change and evolving consumption patterns. Increasing attention to health, moderation and sustainability makes low-alcohol and dealcoholised products particularly relevant. Law is therefore called upon to regulate these developments through clear legal definitions, production rules, labelling and transparency requirements, supporting innovation without compromising the identity and recognisability of the wine sector. These three dimensions form the core of the resilient model proposed herein. Resilience therefore acquires the value of a guiding legal principle of contemporary wine law: an integrated system capable of protecting the productive base, ensuring market access and accompanying innovation through adaptive regulatory mechanisms. The future of the global wine market will depend on the development of resilient legal structures capable of transforming present challenges into stable regulatory opportunities while ensuring continuity, protection of wine heritage and long-term competitiveness.

ABSTRACT. The European Wine Sector is confronted with structural decline, driven by climatic, demographic and lifestyle changes. Its legal framework, however, is designed for growth. Even recent sustainability-oriented instruments are embedded in a growth-logic that combines detailed micromanagement of practices with latent support for structural expansion and intensification. In the context of shrinking markets, this framework may lose its steering capacity or even accelerate exit, consolidation and landscape abandonment rather than enabling socially and ecologically sustainable adaptation. The EU’s new “wine package” (Regulation (EU) 2026/471) for the first time explicitly acknowledges declining demand. Still, its measures mainly address symptoms instead of touching the deeper mismatch between production structures and demand trajectories. They remain oriented towards stabilization and competitiveness and do not provide a credible long-term pathway for regions confronted with demographic decline and ecological constraints. Our contribution conceptualizes a post-growth paradigm for wine law. It examines current legal structures against post-growth theories of food systems and entrepreneurship that emphasize concepts such as sufficiency, regeneration, redistribution, commons governance and care. We explore whether the law could actively facilitate a qualitative adaptation in which volume reduction itself is not treated as a crisis, but as a structural condition that calls for new forms of territorial value creation, ecological stewardship and cultural meaning. We explore niches outside the predominant market and regulatory logic that reveal alternative institutional dynamics. The natural wine movement reflects broader societal shifts towards individualization. Authenticity, experimentation, locality and ecological practices outweigh predefined quality pyramids, standardized taste profiles and codified production norms. Similarly, heroic viticulture, practiced on steep slopes, islands or other marginal territories, defies conventional economic rationality. It persists under conditions in which conventional efficiency is structurally limited by generating multidimensional value linked to landscape maintenance, craftsmanship, social embeddedness and cultural heritage. This value extends beyond the established symbolic value structures of fine wine. Building on these observations, we formulate ideas for a reorientation of the legal framework. In particular, a post-growth transition requires a new perspective on Geographical Indications as a central element of EU wine law. It calls for an institutional redesign instead of the current tendency towards micromanagement through ever more technical specifications. Current GI systems often intensify competition within appellations by encouraging expansion, overinvestment and escalating production standards. Instead, GI governance should be reoriented towards territorial regeneration and long-term ecological and social resilience, thereby stabilizing value while preserving producer autonomy. Within such frameworks, selective deregulation could itself become a sustainability instrument enabling adaptation, experimentation and creative evolution. The hybrid architecture of the GI system could accommodate such a paradigm shift even without broader political change. It contains elements of decentralized territorial governance and allows for bottom-up processes in which producers themselves negotiate the balance between identity and flexibility. The contribution concludes by underlining the broader relevance of rethinking the growth paradigm. The preservation and promotion of vine- and wine-growing heritage is a constitutional objective of the OIV. It requires continuous adaptation to evolving environmental, social and cultural conditions. In this sense, wine law may also serve as a laboratory for post-growth governance in other sectors that will be confronted with similar dynamics in the future.

ABSTRACT. Since the end of the Second World War, wine has benefited from a particularly favourable tariff environment, opening up new markets around the world. Whilst customs tariffs were for a long time the main barrier affecting wine, their significant reduction has not, however, guaranteed unrestricted access to the end consumer. On the contrary, the development or strengthening of non-tariff measures has replaced tariff reductions and remains a significant obstacle to the export and marketing of wine.

In this context, restrictive measures regarding the distribution of alcohol remain particularly impactful and varied. These restrictions may be historical, as in the United States with the Three-Tier System, justified on public health grounds as in Northern Europe, applied for fiscal reasons, as within the European Union; or controlled by state monopolies (as in Canada or Qatar). While most restrictions are not directly aimed at reducing wine consumption, their consequences can be significant for both consumers and stakeholders in the supply chain.

At the consumer level, distribution restrictions can lead to a reduction in available supply or act as a deterrent, whether due to restricted opening hours, a limited number of retail outlets, or even the absence of certain distribution channels such as online sales, or the attractiveness of the products. Whilst in some cases the impact of restrictions can be quantified, such as in Qatar, their actual cost to the wine sector remains difficult to estimate. For professionals in the supply chain, costs can vary even more widely. The growing number of stakeholders involved, as well as specific procedures in certain countries with monopolies, have a significant impact on the final price paid by the consumer. The complexity of global distribution requires specific knowledge for certain markets, resulting in costs that are sometimes prohibitive for small-scale exporters.

The presentation will initially aim to provide a global overview of the various distribution models and the regulations governing access to the end market for the wine sector. It will then seek to demonstrate, through case studies (the functioning of monopolies, barriers to e-commerce, licensing systems), how these distribution restrictions shape, limit and disrupt the export strategies of contemporary wine sectors.

ABSTRACT. The concentration of modern retail channels has drastically transformed the governance of wine value chains. In many markets, wine companies are increasingly facing a limited number of powerful retail actors capable of influencing access to shelf space, assortment decisions, promotional activities and value appropriation mechanisms. Existing literature has largely documented the asymmetrical nature of these relationships and the growing bargaining power of large retailers. However, less attention has been paid to the ways suppliers continue to act, adapt and create value within such constrained environments. This paper explores the concept of strategic room for manoeuvre available to wine suppliers operating under conditions of increasing retail concentration. Rather than focusing exclusively on dependency and power asymmetries, the study investigates the interstitial spaces through which suppliers may preserve or reconstruct their capacity to create and capture value. The paper builds upon several complementary research streams. First, it draws on previous work examining wine listing and delisting practices within large retail organizations, highlighting the formal and informal mechanisms governing supplier access to distribution. Second, it extends findings developed in a recent chapter dedicated to Key Account Management and value creation in retail chains, where preliminary evidence suggested the existence of organizational and relational interstices allowing suppliers to influence outcomes despite structural constraints. Third, it mobilises insights generated through an ongoing doctoral research project focused on asymmetrical relationships between wine suppliers and large retailers. Empirically, the analysis relies on an extensive qualitative investigation involving professionals from the wine industry, including retail buyers, key account managers, export directors and sector experts. The research seeks to identify the mechanisms through which suppliers develop adaptive capabilities, mobilise relational resources, reshape value propositions and exploit organisational ambiguities to sustain their competitive position. The contribution of this paper is double. From a theoretical perspective, it proposes a shift from a purely deterministic reading of retailer dominance towards a more dynamic understanding of supplier agency. From a managerial perspective, it aims to provide wine professionals a framework for identifying and developing actionable strategic options within increasingly concentrated distribution systems. The paper constitutes an intermediate stage of a broader doctoral project and presents preliminary findings intended to support further investigation into the strategic responses of wine suppliers to capture value by facing evolving retail structures.

ABSTRACT. Building on the topic presented at the 46th Grape and Wine Congress of the International Intergovernmental Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), the current paper examines the use of L(+)-tartaric acid in winemaking and the state of the regulatory framework at national and international levels to ensure product quality and safety, including control of origin and authenticity. This paper presents an overview of the market for L(+)- and D(-)-isomers of tartaric acid, allowing differences in chemical structure, production technologies and the resulting limitations on their use. The most important regulatory document is the International Oenological Code (IOC) of the OIV, which defines the L(+)-isomer of tartaric acid as the primary acidity regulator and unequivocally links its origin to plant-based raw materials – grapes. This paper examines the availability, on both national and international markets, of synthetic L(+)-tartaric acid, the use of which does not comply with the IOC OIV. The market for wine products and components for their production in the Russian Federation and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) demonstrates a steady demand for authenticity and high quality in wine and its components. In this regard, updating existing regulations in response to the increasingly complex raw material landscape is crucial: synthetic products inevitably conflict with the principles of a circular economy, hindering comprehensive waste processing – a critically important element of the sustainable development of the global wine industry. At the same time, support for this depends directly on the regulatory system’s ability to distinguish natural components from their synthetic equivalents. With the aim of protecting the legal status of natural L(+)-tartaric acid for the food industry, but primarily for winemaking, an Interstate Standard GOST 21205-2024 for L(+)-tartaric acid (food additive E334) has been developed at the interstate level of the CIS countries as part of harmonization with the IOC. According to the new interstate standard, L(+)-tartaric acid obtained by extraction from plant-based raw materials that naturally contain this compound is permitted for use in food production, including in wines. However, tartaric acid derived from raw hydrocarbons, including coal and oil, or obtained through chemical, biochemical and/or biotechnological synthesis from individual compounds originating from plants that do not naturally contain L(+)-tartaric acid (e.g., maize, etc.), is not a permitted ingredient for the food industry. The new interstate standard is an integral part of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Technical Regulation TR CU 029/2012 for Safety requirements for food additives, flavorings and processing aids. This development is fully in line with the cutting-edge work of the OIV, the significance of which for the global wine industry cannot be overstated. The development of a method of analysis based on mass spectrometry of stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratios complements the existing range of analytical methods, including the COEI-1-LTARAC L (+) Tartaric acid, the OIV-MA-AS313-23 method Identification of L-tartaric acid as being of plant or fossil origin by measuring its 14C activity (2022), and the method from OIV-OENO Resolution 691-2025 Determination of tartaric acid (L+) isotopic ratios 13C/12C and 18O/16O by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. In addition, a method is being developed and implemented in Russia to determine the nature of organic acids, including L(+)-tartaric acid, specifically in wine. A regulatory framework that consistently mandates the use of only natural L(+)-tartaric acid and excludes synthetic products safeguards fair competition, product authenticity and the sustainable development of the industry through the comprehensive use of secondary resources and environmental responsibility, setting a high standard for the further improvement of regulation within the sector.

ABSTRACT. The vine and wine sector is increasingly confronted with transformations that reshape production processes and how professional knowledge is generated, transmitted and made reliable across territories. Climate adaptation, digitalisation, regulatory change, sustainability requirements and market expectations are redefining the conditions under which viticulture and wine production can remain competitive and territorially grounded. This paper analyses how wine territories transform dispersed signals of change into coherent trajectories of competence development, professional renewal and resilience. The paper addresses this question by analysing wine territories as skills ecosystems. Building on skills ecosystem literature (Buchanan et al., 2017), skills governance studies (OECD, 2020), Spours’ Social Ecosystem Model (2019) and work on skills for just and sustainable transitions (Ramsarup et al., 2023), it argues that competences in the vine and wine sector cannot be understood as the linear output of training provision or as a simple response to labour-market demand. They emerge from interactions among enterprises, training institutions, research bodies, professional organisations, intermediaries and public authorities. Where quality, regulation, technical expertise and territorial identity are interwoven, renewing competences becomes a condition for sustaining innovation and credible place-based production. The paper adopts the Viticulture Ecosystem Model (VEM), developed by the authors as a sector-specific adaptation of Spours’ Social Ecosystem Model. The VEM examines how territorial configurations transform sectoral pressures into learning arrangements, professional knowledge and long-term competence trajectories. It focuses on four dimensions: horizontal collaboration among actors; institutional verticality across governance levels; mediation between education, work, professional practice and regulation; and ecological time, understood as the alignment of competence trajectories with the long productive, environmental and intergenerational cycles of viticulture. Empirically, the paper draws on the VINO network, developed within the framework of Italy–Germany bilateral cooperation, connecting three wine-producing territories: Siena in Tuscany, San Michele all’Adige in the Autonomous Province of Trento, and Neustadt in Rhineland-Palatinate. These territories face comparable pressures linked to sustainability, professional standards, market transformation and regulation, while differing in their institutional and productive configurations. The analysis combines documentary review, institutional mapping, stakeholder interviews and direct observation. The comparison shows that similar pressures do not automatically produce similar competence trajectories. Siena represents a plural but fragmented ecosystem, where the dual pathway for Wine Technicians has strengthened cooperation among schools, firms, professional organisations and regional policy, while leaving open long-term coordination. San Michele all’Adige illustrates a more institutionalised configuration, where education, research and technology transfer are embedded in a stable territorial infrastructure, but adaptability depends on remaining open to differentiated innovation paths. Neustadt extends the comparison to a mature German dual training environment, examining the analytical robustness of the VEM in a different institutional context. The paper concludes that resilience in wine ecosystems depends not only on technical innovation, regulatory standards and market strategies, but on the governance conditions that make professional knowledge renewable, reliable and coherent with production practices, sustainability challenges and long-term territorial development. By identifying these conditions, the paper offers a comparative framework for understanding how wine territories can sustain competence development while adapting to structural change.

ABSTRACT. The global wine sector is currently undergoing significant structural transformation characterised by declining consumption in several traditional wine-producing countries, rising production and distribution costs, and increasing competitive pressure in emerging wine markets. Under these conditions, the sustainability of regional wine markets depends not only on production capacity and regional branding, but also on whether stable and repeatable consumer markets can be formed. This study therefore examines how fiscal and circulation structures influence market accessibility and daily-consumption market formation in wine-producing regions. Using a comparative analysis of China and France, the research combines comparative institutional analysis, regional market case analysis and retail price-chain analysis. Bordeaux and Burgundy are selected to represent established wine markets with diversified retail systems and accessible daily-consumption price segments, while Ningxia and Shandong represent emerging Chinese wine regions operating under different market and circulation conditions. The study focuses on the concept of “consumer accessibility threshold”, defined as the structural barriers affecting consumers’ ability to enter, repeat and normalise wine consumption. The analysis shows that differences between China and France are shaped not by taxation alone, but by the combined effects of fiscal structure and circulation structure on terminal retail pricing and repeat-consumption accessibility. In France, stable fiscal arrangements and more efficient circulation systems contribute to accessible retail pricing and broader repeat-consumption opportunities, helping sustain relatively stable regional wine markets despite ongoing structural adjustment in European wine economies. In China, however, value-added taxation, consumption-related taxation, multilayered distribution systems and relatively high circulation costs jointly increase terminal retail prices and raise the accessibility threshold for repeat wine consumption. As a result, stable daily-consumption wine markets remain structurally constrained, and wine consumption continues to rely more heavily on gifting, business occasions and experience-oriented purchasing patterns. The study further argues that weaker repeat-consumption markets encourage wineries to shift from volume-based consumption strategies toward experience-oriented and branding-oriented market approaches. In this context, experiential consumption functions not only as a marketing strategy, but also as an adaptive response to weaker mass-market accessibility. By linking fiscal structure, circulation efficiency and consumer accessibility, this research clarifies the economic mechanism through which institutional cost structures influence consumer accessibility, repeat-consumption opportunities and the formation of stable daily-consumption wine markets. The study contributes to current discussions on resilient wine market structures in the global wine sector and provides policy implications for emerging wine-producing countries seeking to reduce accessibility barriers and develop more sustainable wine market structures.

ABSTRACT. The digitalization of wine labeling represents one of the most significant transformations in consumer information systems within the global wine sector. Recent regulatory developments, particularly the implementation of European Union Regulation 2021/2117, have expanded mandatory disclosure requirements through QR-code-based electronic labeling systems, enabling the communication of ingredients, nutritional information, allergen declarations, and other regulatory content beyond the physical label.

While these measures aim to improve transparency and consumer access to information, the extent to which accessibility and inclusive design have been incorporated into digital wine labeling systems remains largely unexplored. This issue is particularly relevant considering that approximately 1.3 billion people, representing 16% of the world's population, live with a disability. Furthermore, population ageing and varying levels of digital literacy increase the number of consumers who may encounter barriers when accessing digital information. Consequently, a regulatory paradox may emerge whereby information becomes legally available through digital platforms but not necessarily equally accessible to all consumers.

The objective of this study was to assess whether accessibility and inclusive design principles are incorporated into current wine digital labeling regulations and implementation systems, and to identify potential gaps affecting equitable access to consumer information.

A two-stage assessment was conducted. First, a regulatory review examined European Union Regulation 2021/2117 and associated implementation guidance governing digital wine labeling systems. Second, a comparative assessment of seven leading wine e-label implementation platforms was performed using the Inclusive Digital Wine Label Assessment Matrix (IDWLAM), a sector-specific framework developed for this study and adapted from internationally recognized digital accessibility principles. The assessment focused on accessibility, usability, cognitive accessibility, technological inclusivity, assistive technology compatibility, and information equity.

The regulatory review identified explicit requirements regarding ingredient disclosure, nutritional information, allergen communication, multilingual availability, and QR-code implementation. However, no explicit references were identified concerning internationally recognized accessibility standards. Similarly, all assessed platforms supported regulatory disclosure objectives, whereas none publicly reported compliance with recognized accessibility standards or included explicit accessibility statements within the reviewed documentation.

These findings suggest the existence of a regulatory accessibility gap within current digital wine labeling frameworks. As consumer information increasingly migrates from physical labels to digital environments, accessibility should be considered a fundamental component of transparency, consumer rights, market participation, and social sustainability. Based on the identified gap, the Accessible Digital Wine Labeling Framework (ADWL) was developed as a sector-specific reference model to support future regulatory discussions and contribute to the development of more inclusive international standards for digital consumer information in the wine sector.

ABSTRACT. Moderate wine consumption has always been a subject of debate and conflicting opinions regarding its impact on human health. Given the importance of this beverage in some geographical areas, considerable effort has been made to evaluate the correlation between moderate wine consumption and 1) modulation of risk factors underlying the onset of certain diseases, and 2) impact on the disease and therefore its course. Several researchers have published papers whose results are rarely in agreement; in fact, there are many confounding factors that can lead to different conclusions. Among the various pathologies addressed in the past by Commission IV, food allergies have received particular attention. However, the population groups suffering for diet-related pathologies are much larger, and it is important to study the most frequent forms or those most easily associated with substances contained in wine (natural or added such as additives or processing aids). This presentation aims to provide a quick overview of what is available on allergies and intolerances in relation to moderate wine consumption.

Allergies As mentioned above, the OIV has paid considerable attention to allergies, especially regarding the use of milk and egg proteins as wine fining agents. However, other issues have been raised in this context and deserve consideration. In the case of milk and egg, studies were performed to verify oenological practices, quantify detectable residues, and potentially define a threshold below which there is no risk for allergic consumers. These studies have helped the producers understand the critical steps for reducing allergen residues and the suitable guidelines to protect sensitized consumers. Metal allergies have recently been considered and identified as a priority topic for investigation. In particular, it seems important to address the risk posed by the presence of nickel in wine, as individuals sensitized to this metal through skin contact can develop an oral syndrome that makes their diet extremely complex. This presentation will review the available literature to promote future work on the topic.

Celiac Disease The situation of gluten-sensitive individuals (celiac, allergic, and non-celiac intolerant) has been considered in the past in relation to the use of gluten or hydrolysed gluten as possible clarifying agents. The use of these preparations has not been effectively commercialized due to the uncertainty of residues in the finished product, although the experimental tests showed these residues to be compatible with "gluten-free" levels.

Intolerances Until now, the issue of food intolerances has been addressed only marginally, partly because it is less intuitive to predict a risk from a moderate wine consumption. In reality, such an association is possible for two categories of events: pharmacological and metabolic intolerances. In the former case, the presence of histamine and tyramine in wine has already been described, and in some specific cases, potentially "at-risk" populations have been identified. Assessing the compatibility of moderate wine consumption in populations suffering from metabolic diseases, such as aminoacidopathies (phenylketonuria, tyrosinemia, leucinosis, etc.), is more complex. Containing proteins (natural or added), wine could somehow make its consumption inadvisable or prohibited for certain patient groups. This presentation will review the literature and the guidelines published by patients' associations.

ABSTRACT. Using Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Longan grapes as the main raw materials, this study investigated the effects of different starters, fermentation conditions and vintage years on the changes of volatile aroma compounds in wine. The correlations between the dynamics of microbial flora and volatile aroma compounds, as well as between fermentation temperature and volatile aroma compounds during wine fermentation were revealed. The findings provide theoretical and experimental references for the regulation of volatile aroma compounds in wine. Based on the 2010–2020 data of the top ten countries in per capita wine consumption from OECD database, multiple regression analysis was conducted using six health-related indicators and six non-medical determinants of health. The results indicated that alcohol consumption was significantly correlated with reduced mortality from ischemic heart disease. Subsequent animal experiments demonstrated that Cabernet Sauvignon dry red wine could ameliorate dyslipidemia induced by high-fat diet in mice and markedly inhibit the formation of arterial plaques. The molecular pathways underlying the regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism by Cabernet Sauvignon dry red wine were elucidated, and its intervention mechanism against atherosclerosis was explained from the perspective of intestinal microbiota. This study offers theoretical and experimental support for the expansion of the wine market.

ABSTRACT. Chronic high-fat diet (HFD) intake can cause obesity. This study investigated the effects of Dunkelfelder grape seed extract (GSE) and grape peel extract (GPE) on lipid and energy metabolism disorders in HFD-fed mice. Male nine-week C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to normal diet, HFD, or HFD with GSE or GPE (400 mg/kg BW) for 14 weeks. The results showed that compared with the HFD group, GSE and GPE did not affect energy intake but reduced body weight gain (by 24.5% and 17.3%, respectively), lowered blood triglycerides, total cholesterol, and fasting glucose, and increased HDL-C. They also reduced adipose tissue weight and lipid droplets. Metabolic chamber tests showed the GSE and GPE increased oxygen consumption, CO₂ production, and heat release, with a lower respiratory exchange rate, indicating enhanced fat oxidation and energy metabolism. GSE and GPE also upregulated lipolysis genes and downregulated lipogenesis genes in adipose tissue, while increasing thermogenesis and mitochondrial biogenesis genes in brown, epididymal, and inguinal white adipose tissues. In conclusion, this study empirically demonstrated that GSE and GPE enhance body fat utilization by augmenting lipid and energy metabolism and could, therefore, ameliorate high-fat diet-induced obesity.obesity.

ABSTRACT. Grapes and their derived products are among the richest dietary sources of bioactive polyphenols, encompassing proanthocyanidins (flavanols), anthocyanins, flavonols, stilbenes (notably trans-resveratrol), and phenolic acids. Interest in grape-derived polyphenols was initially stimulated by the "French Paradox", the observed lower incidence of coronary heart disease in Mediterranean populations consuming moderate wine despite high saturated fat diets. Subsequent research extended health claims to neuroprotection and cognitive resilience, including potential benefits against Alzheimer's disease (AD). This presentation describes 25+ years of NIH-funded research evolving across five consecutive grant terms at Rutgers University collaborated with Purdue University and Mount Sinai School of Medicine, progressing from chemical characterization through preclinical mechanistic studies to a Phase 1 human clinical trial. Early work developed and validated LC/DAD/MS methods to chemically profile polyphenols across various grape products, identifying dozens of phytochemicals and revealing substantial compositional variation among commercial grape seed supplements. Subsequent terms investigated grape polyphenols for AD-relevant neuroprotection, demonstrating their capacity to inhibit beta-amyloid polymerization and fibrillization. Gnotobiotic mouse models were then employed to examine how inter-individual gut microbiota differences shape production and bioavailability of phenolic acid metabolites (PAMs) derived from grape polyphenols. Using UPLC-QqQ/MS in dynamic MRM mode, brain-penetrant metabolites including 3-HPPA, 3,4-diHBA, and 4-HBA were identified in cecum, plasma, and brain tissue, with profiles varying significantly by donor microbiome composition. The current term centers on a Bioactive Dietary Polyphenol Preparation (BDPP) comprising Concord grape juice, grape seed polyphenol extract, and trans-resveratrol. Rigorous Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) work ensured batch consistency, microbial safety, and dissolution performance. In a Phase 1 randomized placebo-controlled study (N=84), UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS was developed and validated and led to the determination of more than 30 polyphenol metabolites across plasma and urine samples collected from healthy volunteers, confirming dose-dependent systemic bioavailability of resveratrol conjugates, anthocyanin glucuronides, catechin sulphates, and multiple phenolic acids. This translational pipeline, spanning validated bioanalysis, preclinical microbiome models, quality-controlled manufacturing, and controlled clinical investigation, establishes a rigorous scientific foundation for grape polyphenols as dietary interventions supporting neurological resilience and healthy aging.

ABSTRACT. Sweet wines are gaining increasing popularity among consumers. Nevertheless, alcohol, fructose and other components in sweet wines have raised growing public concerns over potential health risks. Focusing on sweet wines worldwide, this paper summarizes their classifications and global producing regions, and illustrates the content distribution of potentially beneficial and harmful substances contained in sweet wines. It mainly discusses the dual effects of alcohol and fructose on human health, and analyzes the interactions between beneficial and harmful ingredients. In view of the health-related issues of sweet wines, future development directions are proposed, aiming to provide guidance and references for the global development of sweet wines.