Sparkling wine production has changed over time due to ongoing technological developments and market adjustments. This study provides an overview of the historical context, the characteristics of raw materials and base wine, modern technologies and current trends in the sparkling wine market. Important scientific advances with potential for wide-scale applicability are highlighted, such as the investigation of unconventional grape types, the progress of winemaking methods and the effects of compositional changes on quality and sensory characteristics. In addition, the nutritional effects of bioactive components in wine are discussed. Market trends indicate a growing global demand for sparkling wines over time, driven by changing consumer preferences and the diversification of wine-producing areas. Future prospects focus on sustainability, low-alcohol alternatives and the integration of emerging technologies. Combining tradition with innovation, the sparkling wine industry continues to expand, offering new opportunities to both producers and consumers. Research on the quality of sparkling wines in the context of climate change and evolving consumer preferences is still limited and warrants greater attention.

This study evaluates viticultural parameters of the Golia grape variety in relation to variable climatic conditions over the 2020–2024 period and analyzes their impact on wine quality. The data show significant climatic variability, with warming trends causing earlier flowering and ripening by 11–13 days. Grape production varied depending on climatic conditions, with 2021 and 2024 recording the highest number of shoots per trunk and increased fertility in 2024. Low winter temperature led to reduced bud viability and affected the overall health of the vines and harvest yields. Average annual precipitation, especially from the growing season, significantly influenced actual yield (AY), while higher annual temperatures and sunshine duration (Sun) resulted in lower grape weight. Greater sugar concentrations accumulated in years with higher temperatures, while higher acidity levels registered at lower temperatures. Higher precipitation (Pp) coupled with thermal accumulation promoted higher dry extract and alcoholic strength (AS), significantly enhancing the perception of honey notes (R² > 0.7, p-value < 0.05). Furthermore, higher thermal regimes negatively impacted the expression of delicate aromatic compounds, diminishing specific notes such as rose and exotic fruits.

Climatic conditions play an essential role in the vegetative growth and phenology of grapevines, significantly affecting yield and the compositional profile of the resulting wines. This study evaluates the adaptability of the Golia grape variety to variable climatic conditions over the 2020-2024 period and analyzes their impact on wine quality. The data show significant climatic variability, with warming trends causing earlier flowering and ripening by 11–13 days. Grape production varied depending on climatic conditions, with 2021 and 2024 recording the highest number of shoots per trunk and increased fertility in 2024. Low winter temperature values led to reduced bud viability and affected the overall health of the vines and harvest yields. Average annual precipitation, especially from growing season significantly influenced actual productivity, while higher annual temperatures and sunshine duration resulted in lower grape weight. Greater sugar concentrations accumulated in years with higher temperatures, while higher acidity levels registered at lower values. The physicochemical properties of the wines were shaped by the quality of the raw materials, reflecting the direct im-pact of climatic variability on grape composition and wine characteristics. The sensory profile of the wines exhibited major annual variation. Floral and fruity aromas were more pronounced in cooler years, while high temperatures led to the development of specific notes such as rose and exotic fruits. The perception of sweetness and honey aroma was linked to higher alcoholic strength (R²=0.8876) and dry extract (R²=0.7719), whereas the wines’ unctuosity was determined by winter precipitation (R²=0.8751).

Indigenous grape cultivars are important components of regional wine heritage, but their sustainability-related value must be evaluated without inferring vineyard performance from wine composition alone. This study characterized 49 commercial monovarietal wines produced from Fetească albă, Fetească regală, Fetească neagră, and Băbească neagră (syn. Rară neagră) in Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Physicochemical parameters were predicted using a dedicated Fourier-transform infrared wine analyzer, and a 22-member experienced panel evaluated sensory attributes. Each commercial wine, rather than each technical determination, was treated as the independent observational unit. General linear models, Welch tests, hierarchical cluster analysis, and principal component analysis were used according to the structure of the dataset. The only confirmatory result for white wines was an origin effect and a cultivar × origin interaction for transformed fructose; no main effect of cultivar was detected. Within Fetească neagră, no physicochemical parameter differed significantly between the two origins. Statistics illustrated multivariate variation among samples based on physicochemical and sensory characteristics, with the first two components explaining 40.17–55.25% of the total variance. The central conclusion is that these commercial wines display broad compositional and sensory diversity, while the unbalanced observational design prevents causal attribution to cultivar, origin, climate, soil, or production practices. The dataset therefore provides an exploratory baseline for regional wine characterization and for future balanced, multi-vintage studies of indigenous cultivars.

Climate variability and ongoing warming trends increasingly influence grapevine phenology, grape composition, and wine quality in both traditional and emerging viticultural regions. This chapter provides an integrated overview of the main climatic factors affecting viticulture, with emphasis on temperature increases, precipitation variability, and water stress, and their effects on grapevine development, berry composition, and wine sensory expression. International literature is combined with regional experimental observations obtained in the Iași vineyard (Copou Viticultural Center, northeastern Romania), using the local cultivar Golia as a representative case study. Recent climatic conditions were associated with accelerated phenological development, earlier budburst and veraison, increased sugar accumulation, and reduced acidity. Warmer vintages generally promoted higher alcoholic strength, fuller sensory structure, and riper aromatic expression, whereas cooler or wetter years preserved greater acidity, freshness, and floral-mineral sensory characteristics. The results indicate that increasing thermal resources and hydroclimatic variability progressively modify wine compositional balance and sensory typicity under continental conditions. This chapter also discusses adaptive viticultural strategies, including canopy management, irrigation optimization, training system adjustment, and varietal selection, highlighting their importance for maintaining vineyard sustainability and wine quality under future climate scenarios.