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. 2024 Aug 6;13(16):2475.
doi: 10.3390/foods13162475.

Soil Microbial Communities and Wine Terroir: Research Gaps and Data Needs

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Soil Microbial Communities and Wine Terroir: Research Gaps and Data Needs

Gabriela Crystal Franco et al. Foods. .

Abstract

Microbes found in soil can have a significant impact on the taste and quality of wine, also referred to as wine terroir. To date, wine terroir has been thought to be associated with the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil. However, there is a fragmented understanding of the contribution of vineyard soil microbes to wine terroir. Additionally, vineyards can play an important role in carbon sequestration since the promotion of healthy soil and microbial communities directly impacts greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. We review 24 studies that explore the role of soil microbial communities in vineyards and their influence on grapevine health, grape composition, and wine quality. Studies spanning 2015 to 2018 laid a foundation by exploring soil microbial biogeography in vineyards, vineyard management effects, and the reservoir function of soil microbes for grape-associated microbiota. On the other hand, studies spanning 2019 to 2023 appear to have a more specific and _targeted approach, delving into the relationships between soil microbes and grape metabolites, the microbial distribution at different soil depths, and microbial influences on wine flavor and composition. Next, we identify research gaps and make recommendations for future work. Specifically, most of the studies utilize _targeted sequencing (16S, 26S, ITS), which only reveals community composition. Utilizing high-throughput omics approaches such as shotgun sequencing (to infer function) and transcriptomics (for actual function) is vital to determining the specific mechanisms by which soil microbes influence grape chemistry. Going forward, understanding the long-term effects of vineyard management practices and climate change on soil microbiology, grapevine trunk diseases, and the role of bacteriophages in vineyard soil and wine-making would be a fruitful investigation. Overall, the studies presented shed light on the importance of soil microbiomes and their interactions with grapevines in shaping wine production. However, there are still many aspects of this complex ecosystem that require further exploration and understanding to support sustainable viticulture and enhance wine quality.

Keywords: function; microbial composition; soil; terroir; vineyard; wine.

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Conflict of interest statement

Author Lucy Neely is employed by the company Neely Winery, Spring Ridge Vineyard, 555 Portola Road, Portola Valley, CA 94028, USA. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Dominant bacterial phyla in vineyard soil microbial communities.

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