Global Wine Research Articles

World Economy of Winemaking

Old traditional winemaking countries are now ahead of new winemaking countries. In addition to countries with European and Middle Eastern viticultural traditions, wine production has begun on a large scale in Canada, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and the Americas. The top wine exporters in 2019 are dominated by international wine trade in Italy, Spain and France - the total of 57.1 million hectoliters, which is 54% of the global market. Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States were the largest importers - a total of 40.4 million hectoliters, accounting for 38% of the global market. These three countries account for 39% of the total value of world wine imports, amounting to 11.9 billion euros. The US is the largest consumer of wine in the world, with a record level of 33.0 million hectoliters in 2019. Georgia has a serious potential to establish itself in the world markets with its uniqueness, with the introduction of innovative digital technologies. Keywords: Old World wines, New World wines, Wine Export-Import, Global Wine Market, Wine Economy, Viticulture, Harmonized customs system.

Wine: The punching bag in trade retaliation

Wine is an extensively traded product that is a common target for retaliation in trade disputes. We analyze the impact of tariffs and tariff retaliation by estimating a structural gravity model of global wine trade. We then simulate the effects of tariffs and tariff retaliation, as well as the effects of trade liberalization, on trade and welfare in the international market for wine. We show that recent trade disputes threaten to reduce wine trade by nearly $340 million annually and significantly reduce consumer welfare, while complete trade liberalization would expand trade by roughly $76 million.

Identification of the DEAD-box RNA helicase family members in grapevine reveals that VviDEADRH25a confers tolerance to drought stress

Grapevine growing areas are increasingly affected by drought, which has greatly limited global wine production and quality. DEAD-box is one of the largest subfamilies of the RNA helicase family, and its members play key roles in the growth and development of plants and their stress responses. Previous studies have shown the potential of DEAD-box genes in the drought stress responses of Arabidopsis and tomato, rice, and other crop species. However, information about DEAD-box genes in grapevine remains limited. In this report, a total of 40 DEAD-box genes were identified in grapevine and their protein sequence characteristics and gene structures were analyzed. By comparing the expression profiles of VviDEADRHs in response to drought stress in different grapevine varieties, nine candidate genes (VviDEADRH10c, -13, -22, -25a, -25b, -33, -34, -36, and -39) were screened based on expression profiling data. Combined with qRT-PCR results, VviDEADRH25a was selected for functional verification. Heterologous overexpression of VviDEADRH25a in Arabidopsis showed the transgenic plants were more sensitive to drought stress than the control. Both electrolyte permeability and malondialdehyde content were significantly increased in transgenic plants, whereas the chlorophyll content and superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzyme activities were significantly decreased. Furthermore, VviDEADRH25a-overexpressing plants showed down-regulated expression levels of several drought stress-related marker genes, namely AtCOR15a, AtRD29A, AtERD15, and AtP5CS1, which indicated that they participated in the drought stress response. In summary, this study provides new insights into the structure, evolution, and participation of DEAD-box RNA helicase genes in the response to drought stress in grapevines.

Population genomics of the grapevine pathogen Eutypa lata reveals evidence for population expansion and intraspecific differences in secondary metabolite gene clusters.

Eutypa dieback of grapevine is an important disease caused by the generalist Ascomycete fungus Eutypa lata. Despite the relevance of this species to the global wine industry, its genomic diversity remains unknown, with only a single publicly available genome assembly. Whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomics was performed on forty Australian E. lata isolates to understand the genome evolution, adaptation, population size and structure of these isolates. Phylogenetic and linkage disequilibrium decay analyses provided evidence of extensive gene flow through sexual recombination between isolates obtained from different geographic locations and hosts. Investigation of the genetic diversity of these isolates suggested rapid population expansion, likely as a consequence of the recent growth of the Australian wine industry. Genomic regions affected by selective sweeps were shown to be enriched for genes associated with secondary metabolite clusters and included genes encoding proteins with a role in nutrient acquisition, degradation of host cell wall and metal and drug resistance, suggesting recent adaptation to both abiotic factors and potentially host genotypes. Genome synteny analysis using long-read genome assemblies showed significant intraspecific genomic plasticity with extensive chromosomal rearrangements impacting the secondary metabolite production potential of this species. Finally, k-mer based GWAS analysis identified a potential locus associated with mycelia recovery in canes of Vitis vinifera that will require further investigations.

Greek Wine Quality Assessment and Relationships with Climate: Trends, Future Projections and Uncertainties

Grapevine phenology is particularly sensitive to temperature variations, with changes in climate shifting events earlier and advancing berry maturation into a hotter part of the growing cycle. Consequently, serious concerns regarding the negative influences of climate change on global wine quality have been raised, with the scientific community focusing on documenting these changes to better understand and address the impacts. This study adds to this knowledge by investigating air temperature and precipitation trends over the last 40 years (i.e., 1980–2019). Over the most recent period of records (i.e., 2000–2019), minimum air temperatures significantly increased at a higher rate than maximum temperatures. On the other hand, precipitation showed the least significant trends over time. In addition, wine quality assessment and identification of the most significant weather variables and climatic indices that correlate with wine quality rating scores have also been performed. To serve this purpose, data of wine quality ratings for nine white (W) and two red (R) indigenous winegrape varieties (Vitis vinifera L., cvs) grown in Greece were obtained from the database of Thessaloniki International Wine and Spirits Competition. The results showed a statistically significant upward trend over the recent past in the majority of the varieties studied. To examine future periods, mixed-effect model outputs for Greek wine-producing regions combining an ensemble dataset using RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emission pathways during two future periods (i.e., 2041–2065 and 2071–2095) predicts wines of higher quality, especially during the latter time period. These results reveal that Greek wine quality rating variations are mainly driven by higher maximum temperatures and drier conditions during the growing season of the grapevines. However, two important issues need to be more fully explored in Greece and elsewhere; (1) non-linear responses to warming where wine quality could suffer above varietally specific optimum temperature thresholds and (2) a better understanding of how other non-climate-related factors (e.g., canopy management, winemaking innovations) affect wine quality in the face of a changing climate.

Wine quality and pricing in the global wine export market: the case of Chilean wines

ABSTRACT This paper hypothesizes that, from 1985 to 1999, Chilean export wine producers achieved significant quality improvements, which led to successful product differentiation in the global export market. Concomitantly – as the monopolistic competition theory predicts – they increased their wine prices, which represent the value wine consumers attach to the wine attributes (including the quality). Using the wine rating score as an approximation of quality, the paper tests this hypothesis using the nonparametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test. The results strongly support the hypothesis.

Influence of wine storytelling on the global wine tourism experience

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the role of wine storytelling as an antecedent in the wine tourism experience, namely on other constructs such as winescape attributes, sensorial attraction, wine excitement and cultural experience. This study analyses the combined use of five wine tourism experience dimensions as well the influence of storytelling as a key antecedent of the wine experience. This study extends existing knowledge by identifying new key drivers which focus on wine tourist behavioural responses within visits to the wine cellars. Data were collected within two wine tourism settings in Madeira and Porto wine cellars, from two convenience samples of 647 international wine tourists. Using partial least square structural equation modeling, the results show a direct impact of wine storytelling on the wine tourism experiences of wine tourists, through winescape attributes and sensorial attraction, that also act as mediators, with wine excitement and cultural experience as the outcomes of the visit/tasting.

A Network Analysis for Environmental Assessment in Wine Supply Chain

In the agri-food sector, the Life Cycle Assessment method (LCA) is used to evaluate the environmental impact of a product. Within agri-food products, wine is among the most analysed products, not only for its economic importance but also for the environmental impact of its activity. The paper aims to identify the main trends in the wine sector revolving around environmental evaluation using the LCA method in the academic literature. The aim is to investigate the literature on life cycle assessment analysis of grape and wine production through the systematic grouping of papers into clusters of research. So, the purpose is to discuss the gaps and insights identified by the study in order to aid in the development of a comprehensive state of the art on the topic. Scopus and Web of Science were used to search all articles following a clear and replicable protocol. The results (keywords) were subjected to co-occurrence analysis using VOSviewer, after which the articles were further analysed. Through a bibliographic coupling analysis, the research results were grouped through a network analysis that allowed identifying the research trends on the topic. Three clusters were identified containing the main lines of research on the subject. The results show that nowadays the literature is focusing on concerns related to climate change and consumer awareness on sustainability issues and certifications as well as environmental impacts generated mainly in the production phase in the vineyard. The research results are of interest for future research on LCA analysis in the wine sector in order to contribute to the discussion on the current model in the global wine sector.

"Good Wine Makes Good Blood": An Integrated Approach to Characterize Autochthonous Apulian Grapevines as Promising Candidates for Healthy Wines.

Wine production represents an ancient human activity and one of the most economically important markets in Europe. Moreover, the health effects of grapes and related products have been largely demonstrated, and mostly depend on their richness in bioactive molecules such as flavonoid and non-flavonoid phenolic compounds. Italy has the highest global wine production and provides one of the richest grapevine germplasm in the Mediterranean area. In this paper, our attention was focused on the evaluation of the total phenol and anthocyanin content in five autochthonous Apulian grapevine cultivars, in both wines and their non-alcoholic extracts. Moreover, the potential antioxidant effects of the non-alcoholic wine extracts on the cell viability of Caco-2 and HeLa carcinoma cell lines were tested. Finally, for the most promising autochthonous selected cultivars (Negramaro, Nero di Troia and Susumaniello), comparative transcriptomic analysis in berries was performed using high-throughput sequencing technology.

Changes in sustainability in the global wine industry

PurposeThe wine industry is the one that is tightly linked to sustainability as its processes both impact and are impacted by the environment, society and companies’ financial well-being. However, data show that this may not be recognized in practice. Thus, this research paper aims to examine what has changed with respect to sustainability practices over the past 10–15 years in this industry.Design/methodology/approachA development-based multi-method approach was used to examine the purpose. In Phase 1, a grounded theory study conducted between 2009 and 2015 from wine businesses in 12 different global regions brought to light a potential disconnect between theory and practice in the importance of sustainability. In Phase 2, a comprehensive literature review and analysis of updated online content from the Phase 1 companies was conducted to paint a picture of the progression of sustainability focus and its implementation in company processes.FindingsUsing legitimacy theory as a foundation, it was found that the choice to pursue sustainability in this industry generally begins with a focus on environmental practices followed by financial sustainability and more recently social sustainability. Producers are also starting to emphasize overall sustainability often encompassing all three dimensions. The industry has also progressed through “levels of sophistication” in the different major supply chain processes (supply, production and distribution) over the years with their environmental efforts.Originality/valueA framework of sustainability growth in the industry through a matrix of process sophistication is developed from the data. The results offer implications for theory, practice and industry policy and informs the future trajectory of sustainability within global business.

Modifications of Grapevine Berry Composition Induced by Main Viral and Fungal Pathogens in a Climate Change Scenario.

The grapevine is subject to high number of fungal and viral diseases, which are responsible for important economic losses in the global wine sector every year. These pathogens deteriorate grapevine berry quality either directly via the modulation of fruit metabolic pathways and the production of endogenous compounds associated with bad taste and/or flavor, or indirectly via their impact on vine physiology. The most common and devastating fungal diseases in viticulture are gray mold, downy mildew (DM), and powdery mildew (PM), caused, respectively by Botrytis cinerea, Plasmopara viticola, and Erysiphe necator. Whereas B. cinerea mainly infects and deteriorates the ripening fruit directly, deteriorations by DM and PM are mostly indirect via a reduction of photosynthetic leaf area. Nevertheless, mildews can also infect berries at certain developmental stages and directly alter fruit quality via the biosynthesis of unpleasant flavor compounds that impair ultimate wine quality. The grapevine is furthermore host of a wide range of viruses that reduce vine longevity, productivity and berry quality in different ways. The most widespread virus-related diseases, that are known nowadays, are Grapevine Leafroll Disease (GLRD), Grapevine Fanleaf Disease (GFLD), and the more recently characterized grapevine red blotch disease (GRBD). Future climatic conditions are creating a more favorable environment for the proliferation of most virus-insect vectors, so the spread of virus-related diseases is expected to increase in most wine-growing regions. However, the impact of climate change on the evolution of fungal disease pressure will be variable and depending on region and pathogen, with mildews remaining certainly the major phytosanitary threat in most regions because their development rate is to a large extent temperature-driven. This paper aims to provide a review of published literature on most important grapevine fungal and viral pathogens and their impact on grape berry physiology and quality. Our overview of the published literature highlights gaps in our understanding of plant-pathogen interactions, which are valuable for conceiving future research programs dealing with the different pathogens and their impacts on grapevine berry quality and metabolism.

Climate changes and new productive dynamics in the global wine sector

Climate change has the potential to impact the agricultural sector and the wine sector in particular. The impacts of climate change are likely to differ across producing regions of wine. Future climate scenarios may push some regions into climatic regimes favourable to grape growing and wine production, with potential changes in areas planted with vines. We examine which is the linkage between climate change and productivity levels in the global wine sector. Within the framework of agricultural supply response, we assume that grapevines acreage and yield are a function of climate change. We find that grapevines yield suffers from higher temperatures during summer, whereas precipitations have a varying impact on grapevines depending on the cycle of grapevines. Differently, acreage share of grapevines tends to be favoured by higher annual temperatures, whereas greater annual precipitations tend to be detrimental. The impacts vary between Old World Producers and New World Producers, also due to heterogeneity in climate between them.

A review of the techniques for mitigating the effects of smoke taint in wine production

Smoke taint has become a prominent issue for the global wine industry as climate change continues to impact the length and extremity of fire seasons around the world. When grapevines are exposed to smoke, their leaves and fruit can adsorb volatile smoke compounds (for example, volatile phenols such as guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, o-, m- and p-cresol, and syringol), which can initially be detected in free (aglycone) forms but are rapidly converted to glycoconjugate forms due to glycosylation. During the fermentation process, these glycoconjugates can be broken down, releasing volatile phenols that contribute undesirable sensory characteristics to the resultant wine (i.e. smokey and ashy attributes). Several methods have been evaluated, both viticultural measures and winemaking techniques, for mitigating and/or remediating the negative effects of grapevine smoke exposure. While there is currently no single method that universally solves the problem of smoke taint, this paper outlines the tools available that can help to minimize the negative impacts of smoke taint (Figure 1).

A Practical Remote Sensing Monitoring Framework for Late Frost Damage in Wine Grapes Using Multi-Source Satellite Data

Late frost damage is one of the main meteorological disasters that affect the growth of wine grapes in spring, causing a decline in wine grapes quality and a reduction in yield in Northwest China. At present, remote sensing technology has been widely used in the field of crop meteorological disasters monitoring and loss assessments, but little research has been carried out on late frost damage in wine grapes. To monitor the impact of late frost in wine grapes accurately and quickly, in this research, we selected the Ningxia planting area as the study area. A practical framework of late frost damage on wine grapes by integrating visible, near-infrared, and thermal infrared satellite data is proposed. This framework includes: (1) Wine grape planting area extraction using Gaofen-1 (GF-1), Landsat-8, and Sentinel-2 based on optimal feature selection and Random Forest (RF) algorithm; (2) retrieval of the land surface temperature (LST) using Landsat-8 thermal infrared data; (3) data fusion using Landsat-8 LST and MODIS LST for a high spatiotemporal resolution of LST with the Enhanced Spatial and Temporal Adaptive Reflectance Fusion Model (ESTARFM); (4) the estimation of daily minimum air temperature (Tmin) using downscaled LST and meteorological station data; (5) monitoring and evaluation of the degree of late frost damage in wine grapes in April 2020 by combining satellite-derived data and late frost indicators. The results show that the total area of wine grapes extracted in Ningxia was about 39,837 ha. The overall accuracy was 90.47%, the producer’s accuracy was 91.09%, and the user’s accuracy was 90.22%. The root mean square (RMSE) and the coefficient of determination (R2) of the Tmin estimation model were 1.67 ℃ and 0.91, respectively. About 41.12% of the vineyards suffered severe late frost damage, and the total affected area was about 16,381 ha during April 20–25, 2020. This suggests the satellite data can accurately monitor late frost damage in wine grapes by mapping the wine grape area and estimating Tmin. The results can help farmers to take remedial measures to reduce late frost damage in wine grapes, and provide an objective evaluation of late frost damage insurance claims for wine grapes. With the increasing weather extremes, this study has an important reference value for standardized global wine grape management and food security planning.

Inoculation of grape musts with single strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast reduces the diversity of chemical profiles of wines.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that spontaneous alcoholic fermentation of grape juice is becoming a more popular option in global wine production. Wines produced from the same grape juice by inoculation or spontaneous fermentation usually present distinct chemical and sensorial profiles. Inoculation has been associated with more similar end-products, a loss of typicity, and lower aroma complexity, and it has been suggested that this may be linked to suppression of the local or regional wine microbial ecosystems responsible for spontaneous fermentations. However, whether inoculated fermentations of different juices from different regions really end up with a narrower, less diverse chemical profile than those of spontaneously fermented juices has never been properly investigated. To address this question, we used grape juice from three different varieties, Grüner Veltliner (white), Zweigelt (red), and Pinot noir (red), originating from different regions in Austria to compare spontaneous and single active dry yeast strains inoculated fermentations of the same grape samples. The chemical analysis covered primary metabolites such as glycerol, ethanol and organic acids, and volatile secondary metabolites, including more than 40 major and minor esters, as well as higher alcohols and volatile fatty acids, allowing an in depth statistical evaluation of differences between fermentation strategies. The fungal (mainly yeast) communities throughout fermentations were monitored using automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis. The data provide evidence that inoculation with single active dry yeast strains limits the diversity of the chemical fingerprints. The fungal community profiles clearly show that inoculation had an effect on fermentation dynamics and resulted in chemically less diverse wines.

Wine's belated globalization, 1845–2025

AbstractIn the latest wave of globalization, the share of global wine production crossing national borders has trebled since the mid‐1980s, to more than 40%. Prior to then, wine was confined mostly to southern Europe with very little trade outside Europe. Why was wine globalization so belated? Why did it take so long for wine exports to take off even in the New World regions of European settlement? This article addresses these questions and also seeks to explain the bilateral patterns of wine trade. It concludes by speculating briefly on how wine markets might develop in the foreseeable future.

Climate Change and Water Governance: Decision Making for Individual Vineyard Owners in Global Wine Regions

This study investigates the institutional, social, and ecological dynamics that influence regional water governance and individual vineyard owners' decision making in global wine regions. Global wine grape production has grown steadily over the past 20 years, and climate change has emerged as a driver of transformation in wine regions resulting in a range of impacts. Changes to the climate are anticipated to accelerate in the future and present a number of challenges for wine regions; including risks to human systems, e.g., agriculture, labor, and economics, as well as ecological systems, e.g., surface and groundwater. Water is a critical resource for environmental and economic sustainability in wine regions, and vulnerability to freshwater resources in wine producing regions is expected to increase as wine regions experience climate extremes like heat and drought. We use the Institutional-Social-Ecological Dynamics (ISED) framework to help understand individual vineyard owner decision making about water management within the context of institutional, social, and ecological systems. We ask how the relationships between these systems impact outcomes for individual grape farmers adapting to climate challenges. Our empirical research uses document review and interviews with vineyard owners, planners, and natural resource managers in wine regions in Oregon, USA and Tasmania, Australia as a means to explore climate vulnerabilities and adaptation approaches. Subsequently we focus on an example vignette in each region to better understand individual decision making at the farm scale within the unique institutional, social, and ecological contexts identified in each region. Our cases highlight the finding that entrenched institutional regimes, in the context of ecological variability contribute to a social unevenness in access to water. Landowner conflict over water resources is likely to increase in the context of a hotter, drier climate in regions with wine industry growth. Individual vineyard owners have a range of attitudes and approaches to climate change planning and management; and adaptation around water is dependent on both economic resources and social values. Lessons from the individual farm scale help to inform broader implications of how institutional, social, and ecological drivers influence opportunities or barriers to the implementation of climate change adaptation practices in wine regions.

THE WINE SECTOR MANAGEMENT IN PORTUGAL: AN OVERVIEW ON ITS THREE-DIMENSIONAL SUSTAINABILITY

The paper scrutinizes wine sector sustainability management in Portugal, which is a traditional wine producer. In Portugal, wine is strategic to its agri-food industry. As the wine market faced changes in consumption and an increase in the quality of the wine offered, new green products (organic, biodynamic) appeared for market niches concerned with environmental and health issues, as well as new ways of communication through the Internet and social media. First, we discuss a global wine market that affects wine market in Portugal, and then we present the internal situation and tendencies, including some examples of sustainable management of this sector in the economic, societal, and ecological dimensions. In the present work, the perspective is essentially of an entire economic sector, since in the Portuguese wine market the Old-World model prevails. This situation comprises high market fragmentation, and strong power exercised by distribution and consumers; it also means that wine production is subject to strict national and common market regulations. However, we do not abandon the micro analysis at the level of the company’s relations with its stakeholders. The methodology adopted in this review is qualitative and it consists of critical analysis of the literature from diverse disciplines, but it also uses secondary sources, such as institutional and technical reports, databases, statistics, notes and media news.

An Assessment of the Competitive Position of the Emergent Uruguayan Wine Industry: A Preliminary Netnographic Baseline Study

This study investigates the competitive position of the Uruguayan wine industry and its potential to become a player in the global wine trade. The study adopts an exploratory, holistic, and qualitative research design, applying desk research, cyberethnography, and electronic correspondence with stakeholders. The research, based on the theory of global business competitiveness, aims to determine the opportunities Uruguay’s wine industry could exploit, based on its competencies, to become a player in the worldwide wine business landscape. The results show that Uruguay is a young wine-producing country; however, it has the potential to become a global competitor. Critical factors identified in the study are geographic location, favorable climate, terrain, hydropower and the high density of the hydrographic network, available agricultural land, the available and well-educated workforce, unique land infrastructure, and the newness of the grape varietal (Tannat) being introduced to the world market with promising results. The paper contributes to the body of knowledge of competitive strategy in wine business research and adds to the scarce literature on the Uruguayan wine industry. Finally, it assesses Uruguay’s current positioning of wine production and competitiveness. The results will benefit stakeholders in the Uruguayan wine industry, researchers, and practitioners in the field.

COVID-19 and Global Beverage Markets: Implications for Wine

AbstractThis article provides an empirical case study of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on global beverage markets, particularly the wine sector. Both international trade and domestic sales have been adversely affected by temporary shifts away from on-premise sales by social distancing measures and self-isolation that led to the closure of restaurants, bars, and clubs, plus declines in international travel and tourism. Partly offsetting this has been a boost to off-premise and direct e-commerce sales. We first estimate those impacts in 2020 and their expected partial recovery in 2021 using a new model of global beverage markets. Further recent disruption to the global wine trade has been the imposition by China in late 2020 of prohibitive tariffs on its imports of bottled wine from Australia. Its diversionary and trade-reducing effects are compared with those due to COVID-19. (JEL Classifications: C63, D12, F14, F17, Q17)