Ultrasound and microwave techniques as physical methods to accelerate oak wood aged aroma in red wines

Abstract

The feasibility of accelerating the release of volatile compounds of oak wood chips and aged aroma in wines by ultrasounds and microwaves techniques has been assessed.Despite the influence of the oak wood origin on the extraction of volatile compounds, results showed that wines subjected to treatments of ultrasounds 400 W during 12 h with pulses on/off each hour and microwaves 700 W for 20 min reached similar concentrations of compounds released from oak chips in wines macerated for 8 days. Those wines treated with microwaves exhibited more oak wood related compounds, but ultrasounds enhanced the extraction of more relevant compounds from a sensorial point of view. Consequently, wines with an accelerated ageing assisted by ultrasounds acquired more pronounced aged aromas. Therefore, the use of ultrasound to assist ageing process resulted in an accelerated acquisition of aged aroma which may resemble or even enhance the sensorial profile of wines in contact with oak chips in shorter times.