High Resolution Melting (HRM) applied to wine authenticity

•High Resolution Melting (HRM) assays were applied to wine authenticity.•Constrains of fragment length in HRM assay application.•Varietal identification in must and wine samples using HRM assays.•Multiple grapevine varietal identification in a unique HRM assay.

Wine authenticity methods are in increasing demand mainly in Denomination of Origin designations. The DNA-based methodologies are a reliable means of tracking food/wine varietal composition. The main aim of this work was the study of High Resolution Melting (HRM) application as a screening method for must and wine authenticity. Three sample types (leaf, must and wine) were used to validate the three developed HRM assays (Vv1–705 bp; Vv2–375 bp; and Vv3–119 bp). The Vv1 HRM assay was only successful when applied to leaf and must samples. The Vv2 HRM assay successfully amplified all sample types, allowing genotype discrimination based on melting temperature values. The smallest amplicon, Vv3, produced a coincident melting curve shape in all sample types (leaf and wine) with corresponding genotypes. This study presents sensitive, rapid and efficient HRM assays applied for the first time to wine samples suitable for wine authenticity purposes.