Bottle Aging Research Articles

Impact of 5-year bottle aging under controlled oxygen exposure on sulfur dioxide and phenolic composition of tannin-rich red wines

Aim: This study aims at understanding the impact of the initial phenolic composition on the evolution of red wines after long bottle aging.Materials and results: three different red wines rich in tannins, Aglianico, Casavecchia and Pallagrello, bottled with the same amount of total sulfur dioxide and different amounts of free sulfur dioxide, were analysed after 5 years of bottle aging under controlled exposure to oxygen passing through the closure. Acetaldehyde and monomeric anthocyanins were determined by HPLC, the chromatic characteristics and the main phenolic classes by spectrophotometry, the saliva precipitation index (SPI) by CHIP electrophoresis, and the astringency subqualities by sensory analysis. The results confirmed that during aging there is an increase in polymerisation reactions. A higher amount of acetaldehyde was detected in wines which were bottled with a lower content of free SO2 and were less rich in anthocyanins and tannins; a significant closure effect was observed for these wines. Regarding the influence of closure on tannins, significant slight differences in vanilline reactive flavans and SPI content were observed for Pallagrello wines only, which were characterised by higher values for tannins at bottling. Astringency subqualities differed with closures for each wine.Conclusion: this study indicates that the amount of initial free and combined sulfur dioxide, as well as that of anthocyanins and tannins, are key factors in driving polymerisation reactions and the aging of red wines. After five years of bottle aging the influence of closure could still be observed.Significance of the study: this study provides new insights into the parameters that need to be evaluated before bottling in order to avoid the wrong evolution of red wines after long bottle aging.

High-Throughput Sequencing Approach to Analyze the Effect of Aging Time and Barrel Usage on the Microbial Community Composition of Red Wines.

Wine aged in barrels or bottles is susceptible to alteration by microorganisms that affect the final product quality. However, our knowledge of the microbiota during aging and the factors modulating the microbial communities is still quite limited. The present work uses high-throughput sequencing (HTS) techniques to deal with the meta-taxonomic characterization of microbial consortia present in red wines along 12 months aging. The wines obtained from two different grape varieties were aged at two different cellars and compared based on time of wine aging in the barrels, previous usage of the barrels, and differences between wine aging in oak barrels or glass bottles. The aging in barrels did not significantly affect the microbial diversity but changed the structure and composition of fungal and bacterial populations. The main microorganisms driving these changes were the bacterial genera Acetobacter, Oenococcus, Lactobacillus, Gluconobacter, Lactococcus, and Komagataeibacter and the fungal genera Malassezia, Hanseniaspora, and Torulaspora. Our results showed that the oak barrels increased effect on the microbial diversity in comparison with the glass bottles, in which the microbial community was very similar to that of the wine introduced in the barrels at the beginning of the aging. Furthermore, wine in the bottles harbored higher proportion of Lactobacillus but lower proportion of Acetobacter. Finally, it seems that 1 year of previous usage of the barrels was not enough to induce significant changes in the diversity or composition of microbiota through aging compared with new barrels. This is the first meta-taxonomic study on microbial communities during wine aging and shows that the microorganism composition of barrel-aged wines was similar at both cellars. These results hint at the possibility of a common and stable microbiota after aging in the absence of exogenous alterations. Further corroborations on the current outcome would be valuable for the comparison and detection of microbial alterations during aging that could potentially prevent economic losses in the wine industry.

Impact of Bottle Aging on the Composition and Sensory Properties of Flavored Chardonnay and Shiraz Wines.

Natural flavorings could potentially be used to enhance the intensity of wine aroma and flavor; albeit since flavor additives are not legally permitted winemaking aids, flavored wines would need to be labeled as wine products. In this study, changes in the composition and sensory profiles of flavored Chardonnay (n = 2) and Shiraz (n = 2) wines were compared at bottling, and then again after 12 months of bottle aging. Flavorings and flavored wines were also analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to determine the key constituents responsible for changes to aroma and flavor profiles. However, many of the volatile compounds identified in flavor additives were not detected at appreciably higher concentrations in flavored wines, which was attributed to the very small quantities of flavorings that were added to base wines. The sensory profiles of control and flavored wines were determined by descriptive analysis, and the addition of flavorings to base wines significantly influenced the perception of some sensory attributes. Flavored Chardonnay wines exhibited enhanced fruit aromas and flavors, while fruit and developed attributes were enhanced in flavored Shiraz wines. Differences in sensory profiles were less apparent in Chardonnay wines following bottle aging, but depending on the flavorings added, flavored Shiraz wines could still be discriminated from their corresponding control wines after bottle aging. Results from this study demonstrate the potential for flavor additives to be used to enhance desirable attributes and/or mitigate wine sensory deficiencies.

Effect of enological treatments on phenolic and sensory characteristics of red wine during aging: Micro-oxygenation, sulfur dioxide, iron with copper and gelatin fining

This work aimed to study long-term impact of micro-oxygenation and/or different aging treatments: (i) high SO2, (ii) high Fe with Cu and (iii) gelatin fining on Plavac mali red wine phenolic and in-mouthfeel sensory development in barrels and furthermore in bottles. Results showed that outcomes of micro-oxygenation strongly depend on aging treatments. High SO2 concentration during aging in barrels and bottles delayed typical phenolic changes and slightly contributed to astringency and lower color intensity, particularly in wine that was not micro-oxygenated. High metal concentrations and gelatin fining promoted intensive polymerization of proanthocyanins and a lower percentage of prodelphinidins after long-term aging in barrels. Also, flavan-3-ol and anthocyanins transformation rates in micro-oxygenated wines of both treatments significantly differed from their controls. Gelatin fining proved to be a very effective treatment for astringency reduction, particularly when combined with micro-oxygenation, but fined wines after long term aging in bottles showed lower color intensity.

Use of potassium polyaspartate for stabilization of potassium bitartrate in wines: influence on colloidal stability and interactions with other additives and enological practices

The research was aimed at verifying the efficacy of potassium polyaspartate (KPA), added at bottling, for prevention of the precipitation of potassium bitartrate (KHT). The stability of KHT was determined with the mini-contact test and the cold test. The effect of KPA on the colloidal stability of white and red wines was also studied. Turbidity, color, and total anthocyanins and flavonoids (red wines only) were monitored. In the first experiment, the stabilizing effect of KPA added at bottling, with or without Arabic gum, tannins, and filtration (0.45µm cut-off), was studied in comparison with metatartaric acid (MTA). KPA proved to have good stabilizing efficacy for prevention of KHT precipitation and maintained its effect in all trials after 1 year of bottle aging. On the contrary, all the trials with MTA became unstable after 6 months. Moreover, KPA did not modify wine turbidity and color. The filtration (0.45µm cut-off) did not reduce its stabilizing efficacy. In the second experiment, the effect of KPA added to a white and a red wine, respectively clarified with casein and gelatin or vegetal protein and/or bentonite, was studied. KPA did not cause any increase in turbidity or appreciable changes in the color of the white wines of the different trials. A preliminary treatment with bentonite can prevent the possible formation of haze in red wines after the addition of KPA. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: KPA prevented the precipitation of KHT in unstable white and red wines. The stabilizing effect persisted after 1 year of bottle aging. The oenologist does not need to adopt special prescriptions when using KPA in combination with Arabic gum or tannins in prebottling operations. A treatment with bentonite prevented the appearance of turbidity in red wines after the addition of KPA.

Study on factors affecting pomegranate (Punica granatum) wine fermentation

Pomegranate fruit has attracted a great attention owing to its phytochemical constituents and its juice fermented as a mild alcoholic drink with availabe bioactive compounds. Therefore, this study was conducted during 2019 at Labone Scientific Co. Ltd, Vietnam with an aim to examine various variables such as the pectinase concentration and treatment duration for juice extraction, the yeast ratio inculation for wine fermentation and the secondary fermentation as aging quality of wine. Pomegranate extract was treated with pectinase enzyme at a concentration of 0.15, 0.20, 0.25 and 0.30% under different duration of 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes and inoculated with Saccharomyces cerevisiae solution of 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20%. The pomegranate wine was preserved at 14°C in dark bottle for different durations of 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks for secondary fermentation. Results indicated that 0.25% pectinase for 45 minutes was sufficient for juice extraction, 0.15% Sacchromyces cerevisiae solution for the main fermentation at 30±2°C and 6 weeks of aging in dark bottle at 14°C was appropriate to achieve a mild pomegranate wine. Fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and aging of wine resulted in changes of native substances into secondary metabolites influencing the sensory attributes of pomegranate wine.

A chemometric approach to the evaluation of the ageing ability of red wines

One of the most important quality attributes of red wines is its ability to withstand and ageing process. The multidimensionality of the ageing ability concept, which includes a combination of colour, taste, mouthfeel, and aroma was reported in previous studies. Phenolic compounds are largely or partially involved in most of these wine attributes and have been proposed as potential candidates to evaluate the ageing ability of red wines. The phenolic and colour properties of a large number of wines were measured during a barrel and bottle ageing process of 24 months. To our understanding, a wine that needs the longest time to reach optimal phenolic quality is considered a wine with higher ability to age (concentration assumption). Moreover, a wine that is able to maintain its optimal phenolic quality for longer will also be a wine with high ageing ability (stability assumption). Based on the formulated assumptions a scoring system was used to identify those wines with theoretically high ability to age. As expected, these wines contained initial high levels of tannins, total phenols and anthocyanins, including high polymeric pigment presence and enhanced colour properties. Interestingly, high ageing ability wines showed a smaller change in the colour properties over time which might be indicating slower pigment formation rates. In addition, a chemometric attempt was undertaken to explore an ageing index based on initial phenolic content. The evolution of the index over time using a multi-block approach showed stability for the index values, in line with the short term stability of tannin and total phenol levels. Finally, promising results were obtained as two thirds of the wines were correctly classified when a validation task between the ageing index and the score values was attempted.

Evolution of Polyphenolic Compounds and Sensory Properties of Wines Obtained from Grenache Grapes Treated by Pulsed Electric Fields during Aging in Bottles and in Oak Barrels.

The evolution of polyphenolic compounds and sensory properties of wines obtained from Grenache grapes, either untreated or treated with pulsed electric fields (PEF), in the course of bottle aging, as well as during oak aging followed by bottle aging, were compared. Immediately prior to aging in bottles or in barrels, enological parameters that depend on phenolic extraction during skin maceration were higher when grapes had been treated with PEF. In terms of color intensity, phenolic families, and individual phenols, the wine obtained with grapes treated by PEF followed an evolution similar to untreated control wine in the course of aging. Sensory analysis revealed that the application of a PEF treatment resulted in wines that are sensorially different: panelists preferred wines obtained from grapes treated with PEF. Physicochemical and sensory analyses showed that grapes treated with PEF are suitable for obtaining wines that require aging in bottles or in oak barrels.

Influence of non-thermal processing techniques on sulfur dioxide and oxygen concentrations in young and aged wines

The application of innovative techniques like high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and high power ultrasound (HPU) for food processing and preservation is one of the current topics in food science. In the enological field, these techniques have been identified as alternative methods for wine microbial stabilization and acceleration of wine aging process. Due to lack of available information about their influence on physicochemical characteristics, the aim of this work was to study the effect of HHP and HPU on sulfur dioxide and dissolved oxygen concentrations in red and white wines. The effect was evaluated immediately after the treatment and after 3, 6 and 12 months of aging in bottles. Moreover, the synergistic effect of mentioned techniques along with antioxidants additions (glutathione and SO2) was also evaluated. The results showed that the concentrations of free and total SO2 did not change immediately after HHP treatments, while after HPU processing there was no clear trend in analyzed parameters. As expected, results showed that both, free and total SO2 decreased during storage period of red and white wines. Regarding both applied techniques, slightly higher concentrations of free SO2 were observed in samples treated by HHP after 12 months of storage. Oxygen concentration slightly increased immediately after the treatments, with the highest concentration determined after HPU processing. During aging, its concentrations decreased and were similar or slightly higher than of those determined in untreated samples. Regarding the antioxidants additions, better protective effect was obtained by addition of higher concentration of SO2 than glutathione, since these samples were characterized by lower concentrations of dissolved oxygen.

Phenolic and Sensorial Evolution during Bottle Ageing of South African Shiraz Wines with Different Initial Phenolic Profiles

The aim of this research was to evaluate the colour and phenolic evolution of Shiraz red wines made from the same vineyard, but with different initial phenolic profiles. Several vineyard-related variables were initially evaluated in a first vintage (2014), but grape ripeness was shown to be the most determining factor on most of the phenolics and the taste and mouthfeel of the wines. In the second vintage (2015), wines made from four different ripeness levels were aged up to 18 months and periodically analysed during this period. The results show how Shiraz wines with different initial phenolic profiles might develop differently over time during bottle ageing. In the second vintage, some of the colour and phenolic parameters of the wines were similar after completing the alcoholic fermentation (AF). However, these small differences between the wines became more noticeable over time, especially when comparing the wines made from the highest sugar level with the rest. These differences were especially noticeable in the polymeric fraction (polymeric phenols and polymeric pigments), with a larger number of polymeric forms found in the wines made from the ripest berries, and subsequently a larger formation of polymeric pigments. Differences in the wines’ phenolic composition, and the differences in the alcohol content of the wines, also influenced the taste and mouthfeel evaluation of the wines, and these were maintained over time.

Astringency subqualities and sensory perception of Tuscan Sangiovese wines

Aim: The Sangiovese grape cultivar is at the basis of the most well-known Italian wines produced in the Tuscany region. However, little is known about the sensory characteristics of Tuscan Sangiovese wines, and the diversity in astringency subqualities has never been investigated. In this study we evaluated the sensory perception of 16 commercial Sangiovese wines belonging to four categories of denomination (Chianti DOCG, CH; Chianti Classico DOCG, CC; Morellino di Scansano DOCG, MS; Toscana IGT, TS), and again after 20 months of bottle aging.Methods and results: A sensory evaluation was made, consisting of the astringency subqualities, taste, odor, and aroma profiles of wines. In addition, chemical analyses were carried out for the base parameters, polyphenols and some volatile compounds. Astringency subqualities varied depending on the percentage of Sangiovese in wines (from 80 % to 100 %). Blended Sangiovese wines were characterized by positive mouthfeel sensations. According to these, the drivers of liking the wines were associated with soft, mouthcoat, and rich subqualities. The Tuscan Sangiovese denominations were differentiated by volatile active compounds, whereas after about two years of bottle aging the astringency subqualities better achieved this task. Moreover, aging also influenced the evolution of wines: CC and CH wines positively evolved, revealing a complex odor profile; MS lost the fruity character; and TS was less involved in sensory modification.
 Conclusions: For the first time, a detailed evaluation of the astringency subqualities of commercial Sangiovese wines was undertaken. Sangiovese subqualities differed according to the percentage of Sangiovese and denomination. Tuscan denominations were distinguished by peculiar sensory characteristics. In addition, bottle aging significantly influenced the evolution of the sensory perception of Sangiovese wine. In particular, mono-varietal Sangiovese wine needed a long period of aging to soften the astringency characteristics.Significance and impact of the study: Sangiovese wine represents - with its denominations and styles - the best-known and high-quality Italian wine in the world, and its popularity is increasing worldwide. Tuscan Sangiovese wines are often a blend with other red varieties of the region, and these can vary according to the production regulations. This study aimed to improve the knowledge of the sensory characteristics of Sangiovese wines belonging to different denominations and made with different percentages of this grape cultivar. In particular, the astringency subqualities are fundamental to fully appreciating the quality of the red wine during tasting.

Changes in Red Wine Composition during Bottle Aging: Impacts of Grape Variety, Vineyard Location, Maturity, and Oxygen Availability during Aging.

This work investigated the influence of grape variety, vineyard location, and grape harvest maturity, combined with different oxygen availability treatments, on red wine composition during bottle aging. Chemometric analysis of wine compositional data (i.e., wine color parameters, SO2, metals, and volatile compounds) demonstrated that the wine samples could be differentiated according to the different viticultural or bottle-aging factors. Grape variety, vineyard location, and grape maturity showed greater influence on wine composition than bottle-aging conditions. For most measured wine compositional variables, the evolution patterns adopted from the viticultural factors were not altered by oxygen availability treatment. However, contrasting evolution patterns for some variables were observed according to specific viticultural factors, with examples including dimethyl sulfide, phenylacetaldehyde, maltol, and β-damascenone for vineyard locations, 2-methylbutanal, 1,4-cineole, and linalool for grape variety, and methanethiol, methional, and homofuraneol for grape maturity.

Impact of Rootstock, Clonal Selection, and Berry Size of Vitis vinifera sp. Riesling on the Formation of TDN, Vitispiranes, and Other Volatile Compounds.

The C13-norisoprenoid aroma compounds 1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (TDN) and biosynthetically related vitispirane (VS) are important contributors to the varietal aroma of Riesling wines and are released from glycosidically bound carotenoid breakdown products during bottle aging. TDN is appreciated by numerous winemakers, particularly in aged Riesling wines. Higher levels of TDN, however, are perceived as a "petrol" off-flavor, which is expected to increase due to ongoing climate change. Wines produced from the same Riesling clone, which was grafted on six different rootstocks, varied significantly throughout two vintages in respect to their concentrations of free and bound TDN and VS as well as other volatiles. Over three vintages, the same compounds differed significantly among wines made from eight Riesling clones grafted on the same rootstock. Genetically determined loose grape clusters favored the formation of TDN and yielded wines of stronger sensory petrol intensity. Berry size, however, had no relevant impact on TDN and VS formation.

PEF-dependency on polyphenol extraction during maceration/fermentation of Grenache grapes

Application to different electric field strengths (E) and specific energies (W) with the pulsed electric fields (PEF) technology on the rate of extraction of phenolic compounds during maceration/fermentation of Grenache grapes was studied. A response surface model between the total polyphenol index extraction rate (TPI) and the E and W of the PEF treatments was established, which permitted the determination of PEF processing conditions to achieve a certain TPI. To achieve a TPI of 50, treatments ranged from high intensity and short time (8 kV·cm−1 and 45 μs) to low intensity and long time (1 kV·cm−1 and 2800 μs) applying an optimum W of 4 kJ·kg−1 in all cases. The application of these PEF treatments reduced maceration time by a rate of 25 to 37% with respect to the untreated grape. Quality characteristics (color intensity, tannins, and total anthocyanins) were neither affected after fermentation nor after 12 months aging in bottles.

Incidence of volatile phenols in Montenegrin red wines: Vranac, Kratosija and Cabernet sauvignon

The main objective of this study was to determine the impact of three different commercial yeasts and two lactic acid bacteria, as well as the use of oak (chips and staves) on the volatile phenol (VP) formation in Montenegrin aged red wines (Vranac, Kratosija and Cabernet Sauvignon) of the 2013 vintage. Standard chemical parameters of the wines were determined in order to establish relationship with VP. After three years of bottle aging, chemical parameters of wines (alcohol content, residual sugars (RS), pH, free and total SO2, anthocyanins) and VP (4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol) were determined. Volatile phenols were found in 18 samples of Kratosija and 5 samples of Vranac. Volatile phenols were not detected in Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Kratosija as a grape variety from the Montenegrin terroir during 2013 vintage had the highest potential for the VP formation, while the highest content of 4-ethylphenol (2.84 mg/L) and 4-ethylguaiacol (0.52 mg/L) was determined in Vranac wine. It was demonstrated that VP would be formed in wines even with high alcohol content (>12.50 vol.%), low pH (<3.30) and with free SO2 concentrations at bottling of 30-35 mg/L.

Monitoring the effects and side-effects on wine colour and flavonoid composition of the combined post-fermentative additions of seeds and mannoproteins.

One of the main consequences of the advancement of harvest date associated to global climate change is that the phenolic maturity of grapes can be delayed in relation to their technological maturity. As a consequence, wines made from these grapes can be poor in phenolic compounds or possess an unbalanced phenolic composition, affecting their global quality. The combined post-fermentative addition of seeds and an astringency-modulator mannoprotein (MP) might be a potential strategy to solve this problem, since seeds might supply flavanols and improve wine chemical stability and the mannoprotein might modulate the changes induced in astringency by the addition of seeds and improve wine colloidal stability. The present study aimed at monitoring at different moments of winemaking and ageing the effects and side-effects of this combined strategy on the detailed flavanol, flavonol and anthocyanin compositions and on colour of wines made from Syrah grapes. Seeds were obtained from Pedro Ximénez overripe grapes. Flavanol composition and flavonol and anthocyanin compositions were determined by HPLC-MSn-MRM and HPLC-DAD-MSn analyses, respectively. Colour changes caused by these additions were studied from CIELAB parameters as well as the ability of these techniques to protect colour from bleaching agents, such as SO2. In general, the addition of seeds initially increased the levels of flavanols and anthocyanins. However, during bottle ageing a reduction in the levels of flavanols, flavonols and anthocyanins could be observed in seed treated wines, which might be related to the greater formation of flavanol aggregates associated with greater levels of flavanols. This effect was partially solved for most of the flavonoids studied with the additional MP treatment. Treated and control wines showed colour differences that were visible to human eye, although they were reduced over time. At the end of the study, treated wines showed colour parameters corresponding to younger wines than those observed in control wines. A greater resistance against SO2 bleaching was also observed in treated wines, which can be mainly associated to the greater percentages of polymeric pigments caused by seed treatment and to the improvement of the colloidal stability of SO2-resistant pigments caused by the addition of the MP.

Wine aging: a bottleneck story

The sporadic oxidation of white wines remains an open question, making wine shelf life a subjective debate. Through a multidisciplinary synoptic approach performed as a remarkable case study on aged bottles of white wine, this work unraveled a yet unexplored route for uncontrolled oxidation. By combining sensory evaluation, chemical and metabolomics analyses of the wine, and investigating oxygen transfer through the bottleneck/stopper, this work elucidates the importance of the glass/cork interface. It shows unambiguously that the transfer of oxygen at the interface between the cork stopper and the glass bottleneck must be considered a potentially significant contributor to oxidation state during the bottle aging, leading to a notable modification of a wine’s chemical signature.

Effects of high power ultrasound treatments on the phenolic, chromatic and aroma composition of young and aged red wine.

In this study, the effects of both ultrasonic bath and probe treatments on the phenolic, chromatic and aroma composition of young red wine Cabernet Sauvignon were studied and modeled by artificial neural networks (ANNs). Moreover, the effect of high power ultrasound (HPU) along with antioxidants addition (sulfur dioxide and glutathione) was investigated during 6 months of aging in bottles. Lower amplitude and temperature, shorter treatment duration and particularly lower frequency showed a more favorable and milder effect on the chemical composition of wine. In the case of the ultrasonic probe treatment, similar effect was achieved primarily by a larger probe diameter as well as lower amplitude and treatment duration. Selected ANN models showed the best predictions for the chromatic characteristics followed by total phenolics and anthocyanins. The changes induced by HPU treatment after 6 months of aging were mainly detected in the composition of phenolic compounds (both total and individual), where higher concentration of antioxidants (sulfur dioxide and glutathione) slowed down the decrease rate of these compounds during aging. However, HPU treatment did not influence most of the chromatic characteristics and aroma compounds, except lightness and fatty acids. The obtained results indicated that suitable ultrasound treatment might accelerate some aging reactions and shorten the period of wine aging.

1H NMR metabolomics applied to Bordeaux red wines

The q-NMR metabolomics has already demonstrated its potential for classifying wines of different geographical origins, grape varieties, or vintages. This study focuses on the characterisation of Bordeaux red wines, seeking to discriminate them from others produced in the major French wine regions. A sampling of 224 commercial French wines was analysed by 1H NMR and forty compounds were quantified. Non-supervised and supervised statistical analyses revealed a singular imprint of Bordeaux wines in comparison with other French wines, with classification rates ranging from 71% to 100%. Within the Bordeaux vineyards, red wines from the different Bordeaux subdivisions were analysed from different vintages. Our results indicate that q-NMR metabolomics enables the differentiation of Médoc and Libournais vineyard highlighting the most discriminant constituents. In addition, the effects of wine evolution during bottle aging and vintage on Bordeaux red wines were pointed out and discussed.

Impact of closure type and storage temperature on chemical and sensory composition of Malbec wines (Mendoza, Argentina) during aging in bottle.

Malbec is the flagship variety of Argentina mainly due to its high oenological value and plasticity to obtain different wine styles. During bottled aging, the chemical and organoleptic composition of wines is subject to changes depending on the aging conditions (closure, oxygen level, temperature, time). However, the combined effect of these factors on chemical composition and organoleptic characteristics of Malbec wines has not been studied yet. Wines were bottled with screw cap and natural cork and were kept in chambers at 15 °C and 25 °C for 2 years. Sampling was performed at 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 months. Concentrations of free sulfur dioxide, dissolved oxygen, anthocyanins, tannins, esters, volatile phenols, organic acids, and color saturation decreased during the storage process. While, the formation of polymeric pigments, the color attributes (lightness and hue) and the levels of alcohols, norisoprenoids, furanoids and terpenoids increased. At 24 months, Malbec wines were organoleptically different. Wines kept at 15 °C were associated with high sensory perceptions in color intensity and violet tint, those presented a positive correlation with free sulfur dioxide, tannins, and anthocyanins levels. On the contrary, wines aged at 25 °C were linked with high sensory perceptions of dried vegetative and dried fruit aromas. These descriptors were positively correlated with norisoprenoids, furanoids, and terpenoids. In general, the chemical composition and organoleptic attributes of bottled Malbec wines (Mendoza, Argentina) were stable respect closure type employed, but highly sensitive to the combined effect of time and storage temperature. This finding is key to making decisions about the wine style searched, and costs (e.g. refrigeration) involved in the conservation period until consumption.