Abstract
Ageing wine is a common practice used in winemaking, since the quality and sensory profile increase due to the extractable compounds coming from wood, by means of barrels or chips. The quantitative and qualitative compounds of the wood depend on the species, its origins and the treatments applied in cooperages. Traditionally, oak wood species are most often used in cooperage, specifically Quercus alba (Q. alba), Known as American oak and Quercus robur (Q. robur) and Quercus petraea (Q. petraea), both known as French oak. Although this stage is very common for red wines, its use is still restricted in the case of white wines. However, this topic is particularly interesting, since due to the sensorial benefits of wood contact, the option for ageing white wines in barrels or chips could be chosen by winemakers. This review compiles the novel strategies applied to white wines by means of wood contact in recent years with the aim to increase wine quality and sensorial features.
Highlights
The white wine market has been monopolized for many years by young varietal wines, which should be consumed in a short period after bottling to avoid the loss of freshness and fruity character, mainly due to the detriment of the compounds of varietal origin
Oak wood species are most often used in cooperage, Quercus alba (Q. alba), Known as American oak and Quercus robur (Q. robur) and Quercus petraea (Q. petraea), both known as French oak
From a sensorial point of view, it seems that white wines aged with acacia chips showed major colour intensity compared to those wines treated with cherry or American and French oak wood
Summary
The white wine market has been monopolized for many years by young varietal wines, which should be consumed in a short period after bottling to avoid the loss of freshness and fruity character, mainly due to the detriment of the compounds of varietal origin. The yeast cells absorb the ellagitannins from the wood, reducing the astringency of the wines, while some compounds extracted from wood such as furfural and vanillin can be metabolized by the yeasts decreasing their sensory impact [6]. These techniques have been recovered together with other alternative practices in white vinification, such as the use of chips which are allowed in some countries. All these innovations have contributed to increasing and improving the variety of white wines in contact with wood in the market, adapting to the new tastes of the consumer and the demands of the international market. It is important to look for the best combination between type of wood, ageing process and grape variety in order to obtain a quality wine with new sensory sensations, but without masking the primary and secondary aromas specific to each grape variety
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