Changes in the Amino Acid Composition of the Different Nitrogenous Fractions during the Aging of Wine with Yeasts

Abstract

A study was made of the composition of free and total amino acids, amino acids in peptides, and amino acids in proteins in four base wines and the sparkling wines obtained from them following the Champenoise method. Samples were taken of the sparkling wines after 9, 12, 15, 18, 24, and 31 months of aging with yeasts. The results were evaluated using different multivariate analysis techniques. It was observed that the release of amino acids during aging does not occur in all wines at the same time. The free amino acid composition of sparkling wines depends on that of the base wines from which they originate, while the distribution of amino acids in peptides and proteins depends, at least partly, on the aging time with yeasts. The findings indicate the existence of a relationship between the aging time of the wine with yeasts and the amino acid composition of peptides with a molecular weight lower than 700 Da. Keywords: Amino acids; peptides; proteins; wine; sparkling wine