The task is more complicated for red wines

Bordeaux finally has its Institute of vine and wine (ISVV). Opened this evening, the research centre will unveil international ambition: 10,000 square meters of laboratories for 150 researchers, 200 students and 16 formations. For the region which has funded nearly two thirds of a EUR 25 million project, the interest is clear: "Embed sustainable research on this strategic sector for our region", summarizes Alain Rousset, President of the Aquitaine region. This will still take 10 years. It took particular fight Paris centralizing dynamics, deal with the national strategy of the national Institute of agronomic research (Inra), and overcome parochial sentiments local, with laboratories in four Bordeaux universities in research and higher education (Pres), pole depends now on the new Institute. One of the actors of the record summarizes: "the mobilization has been very low." By and large, because the creation of this Institute was a priority for anyone. INRA, which has invested in Montpellier, or universities, who feared to lose autonomy. "The Institute is given several priority research areas: protection of the vine, wine and wine quality, effects on health, economic and sustainable development of the sector.

The bet, it is a multidisciplinary approach. Particularly in the laboratory of genomic and ecophysiology of vines functional. "By working together of specialists in two disciplines, a priori very remote, we want to understand the interaction between the plant and its environment, and this by going to the gene", summarizes Kees Van Leeuwen, Professor at the Faculty of Enology of Bordeaux. With objective to adapt the vine to climate warming. A track is particularly studied at the Institute: "adaptation of plant material, whether it be the rootstock, or even of the vine.". Could thus use varieties already known as other latitudes, or even strengthen the characteristics of the local grape varieties. One of the problems is to know the extent of global warming and to prepare, because viticulture are long: "depending on whether it increases of 2 or 4 degrees, the answers are different." So it will work to the modelling of the maturation of the grape the temperature.

Biological control

Diseases, must be alternatives to chemicals, banned one after the other. Wood is the first targeted: arsenic from sodium, only effective treatment, is prohibited since 2003. "It is estimated that 10 of the vineyard is not productive due to this disease." Term, the cep dies, and should it pull. "A disaster when vines of fifty years", explains Patrice Rey, who works in the plant health unit. The objective now is to better understand these diseases and to find other solutions. For example putting the cap on biological control. The Institute will also deepen the role of certain molecules on the organoleptic qualities of the beverage. The work of Denis Dubourdieu, Director of the Institute, helped to highlight certain characteristic molecules of sauvignon. The task is more complicated for red wines.

Institute of sciences of the vine and wine, which is intended to become a world centre of excellence, will still have to navigate between different pitfalls. Supposed to work at the level of the wine industry, some funders as the interprofessional Committee of vine and wine (CIVB) would like as it focuses more on issues that are purely Claret. Funding remaining the Achilles heel of the establishment compared to that of its Australian equivalent, the Wine Research Institute, rich a result budget powered by a tax levied on crops. The ISVV, depend essentially the good-will the Ministry and the universities.