Roles of microbiota in the formation of botrytized grapes and wines

Abstract

Botrytized wines are dessert wines made from overripe grapes infected by Botrytis cinerea known as “botrytized grapes” or “noble rot”. They are favored by human for their health promoting antioxidants and pleasant flavor. However, their production is low as natural botrytized grapes are rare in most vineyards worldwide. That is, not all B. cinerea infected grapes become botrytized grapes. The formation of botrytized grapes is determined by the interactions between grapes and the microbiota, including B. cinerea, under specific environmental conditions. Similarly, the interactions among the microorganisms in the grape must during the fermentation processes are also crucial for the quality of botrytized wines. Therefore, unraveling the roles of microbiota in the formation of botrytized grapes and wines can contribute to a better understanding of the determinants in this process, and provide a theoretical basis for improving the quality of botrytized wines.