Influence of Vibration on Volatile Compounds, Color, SO2, and CO2of Riesling Sparkling Wine and White Wine

Abstract

The effect of vibration on wine composition is a topic that has been widely neglected. The goal of this study was to examine continuous vibration, as emitted by cooling units, refrigerators, or motors during bottle storage in warehouses and road transportation, in a simulation experiment to investigate vibration-induced changes of the volatile profile, color, SO₂, and CO₂ of sparkling wine and white wine. A Riesling sparkling wine and two Riesling still wines from different vintages and with different closures were chosen and stored at vibration intensities of 500 and 1000 mm/sec² with a constant frequency of 50 Hz and constant temperature for six months. The results showed that vibration did not affect the gas permeability of the closures. However, total SO₂ and the volatile profile of the wines were affected by vibration. Vibration appeared to accelerate the formation and/or degradation reactions of some volatiles in wine. At the same time, vibration seemed to shift the equilibrium of volatiles inside a wine bottle between the wine and the headspace. Accordingly, wine bottles with a large headspace volume were more sensitive to vibration-induced changes. The magnitude of the observed changes was not proportional to the vibration intensities, suggesting an interference of chemical and physical effects.