Research project
Wine is the ultimate culmination of a plethora of complex biological processes. Accordingly, most inputs (even when excluding grape must) are biologically based and include commercial yeasts, bacteria and enzymes used in processing.
Classically, the development of improved biological inputs has resolved around phenotypic selection, in which organisms with improved characteristics are specifically chosen for further use or as a breeding stock. As selection relies on genetic variation, mutagenesis is often used to increase the pool of variation available. However, standard mutagenesis/selection is a random process, in which isolates with the required alteration must be identified from a background of thousands of strains. Classical strain development is therefore resource intensive, which ultimately limits the scope of research that can be undertaken.