Wine Aging Research Articles

Ultrasound-assisted production of alcoholic beverages: From fermentation and sterilization to extraction and aging.

Ultrasound is sound waves above 20kHz that can be used as a nonthermal ''green'' technology for agri-food processing. It has a cavitation effect, causing bubbles to form and collapse rapidly as they travel through the medium during ultrasonication. Therefore, it inactivates microorganisms and enzymes through cell membrane disruption with physicochemical and sterilization effects on foods or beverages. This emerging technology has been explored in wineries to improve wine color, taste, aroma, and phenolic profile. This paper aims to comprehensively review the research on ultrasound applications in the winery and alcoholic beverages industry, discuss the impacts of this process on the physicochemical properties of liquors, the benefits involved, and the research needed in this area. Studies have shown that ultrasonic technology enhances wine maturation, improves wine fermentation, accelerates wine aging, and deactivates microbes while enhancing quality, as observed with better critical aging markers such as phenolic compounds and color intensity. Besides, ultrasound enhances phytochemical, physicochemical, biological, and organoleptic properties of alcoholic beverages. For example, this technology increased anthocyanin in red wine by 50%. It also enhanced the production rate by decreasing the aging time by more than 90%. Ultrasound can be considered an economically viable technology that may contribute to wineries' waste valorization, resource efficiency improvement, and industry profit enhancement. Despite numerous publications and successful industrial applications discussed in this paper, ultrasound up-scaling and applications for other types of liquors need further efforts.

Hygrothermal conditions for the biological aging of sherry wine

The present work analyzed the hygrothermal environment of several prestigious warehouses where sherry wines of “Fino” and “Manzanilla” type are made. Through descriptive statistics, frequency histograms and psychrometric diagrams of temperature and relative humidity variations have been obtained. In addition, other factors such as the stability and uniformity of the interior environment have been quantified. The results showed significant temperature variations throughout the year (limit values of 5 °C and 31 °C), with a more stable relative humidity (between 60% and 90% for most of the year). Indoor conditions varied much more rapidly than in wineries for the aging of red wine, as a result of constant ventilation. Therefore, the annual average stability was 2.0 ± 0.8 °C per day and 0.14 ± 0.12 °C per hour. Vertical uniformity decreased in spring and summer, with stratification values close to 0.5 °C/m and 3% r.h./m. The monitored indoor environment is outside the comfort ranges described in the literature for extended periods of time (in the most extreme case, 96% of the time outside the recommended interval). For that reason, a reference psychrometric comfort diagram was proposed. Industrial relevanceFor the first time, the hygrothermal behavior of several wineries producing high quality wines (very high scores in the oenological guides) was extensively analyzed. The results of the study, which include monthly comfort intervals, should be a very useful tool for the sherry wine industry, in order to control and ensure optimal development of the flor yeast film. It should also be taken into account for the correct design of new wineries or the rehabilitation of abandoned warehouses.

Characterization of the color parameters and monomeric phenolic composition of ‘Tempranillo’ and ‘Graciano’ wines made by carbonic maceration

The current study aims to gather information about the color-related characteristics and the monomeric phenolic composition of carbonic maceration (CM) wines. The study was conducted over two vintages, with two different grape varieties. Color-related general parameters and wine monomeric phenolic composition were determined in both free-run and press CM fractions and were compared to conventional winemaking (CW). Overall, wines made by CM had lower phenolic content and color intensity. The analysis of wine detailed phenolic composition showed that CM wines were characterized by low contents of anthocyanins and flavonols. In contrast, free-run wine obtained by CM had the greatest concentration of flavanols and hydroxycinnamic acids, probably due to the presence of stems during the fermentation. In conclusion, vinification by CM leads to important differences in wine phenolic composition and, as consequence, on wine color properties. These differences could play an important role in wine sensorial properties and wine aging potential.

Analysis of a Special Sulphite-Producing Yeast Starter after Fermentation and during Wine Maturation

In the present study, we investigated the extent to which specific sulphur dioxide-producing wine yeasts produce SO2 during alcoholic fermentation and whether the SO2 they produce is sufficient to prevent oxidation during wine storage. Fermentation was carried out at 12 °C and 20 °C. After inoculation with yeast, the evolution of free and total sulphurous acid concentrations, acetaldehyde concentrations (11.6–46.9 mg L−1) and total polyphenol concentrations (137.4–244.7 mg L−1), including leucoanthocyanin and catechin concentrations (leucoanthocyanidin: 8.5–75.1 mg L−1; catechin: 70.8–115.4 mg L−1), were investigated during the storage of fermented wines. The amount of free sulphur dioxide was measured between 5 and 10 mg L−1. Total sulphuric acid ranged from 6 to 22 mg L−1, taking into account the results of the three years studied. The aim of our tests was to observe whether the use of sulphur-producing yeasts during the ageing of fermented wines showed any benefit. The results of all three vintages tested showed that neither the 12 °C nor the 20 °C fermented batches showed any advantage in using sulphur dioxide-producing yeasts. Our results show that there is no clear evidence that the yeast produces sufficient sulphur dioxide during fermentation and that there is no clear demonstrable benefit from its use.

Qualitative Changes and Flavour Profile of Banana (Musa spp) Wine during Ageing

Background: Banana is a commercial fruit of many tropical and sub-tropical nations. India is the largest producer of banana in the world. The fruit is a valuable source of carbohydrates, phenolics compounds, minerals and dietary fibre. Due to bumper production, seasonality and market gluts, huge post-harvest losses are recurring phenomena in many banana growing states in India. Hence, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the suitability of some commercial banana cultivars in the development of wine and to evaluate the qualitative changes during ageing. Methods: Wine was prepared from banana varieties (Poovan, Grand Naine, Yangambi (KM-5), Karpooravalli and Palyankodan) in 1:1 and 1:2 dilutions of pulp and water. The TSS content of the substrate was raised to 20°Brix, followed by addition of yeast @ 1.25 g/l. The must was treated with Potassium Metabisulphite (KMS) @ 0.05 g/L to inhibit the growth of other microorganisms. Fermentation was carried out for 15 days, followed by clarification and subjected to ageing for 2 months. Result: During ageing of wine, the pH and alcohol content showed an increasing trend whereas titratable acidity, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid and phenols showed a decreasing trend. The flavour profile analysis of wine revealed that ethanol, ethyl hydrogen succinate and glycerin were the major flavour compounds in banana wine. After the completion of ageing, alcohol content of banana wine ranged from 8.40 to 9.64%, phenols were in the range of 40.50 to 56.25 mg 100 g-1 and total soluble solids varied between 3.6 and 4.5° Brix. Wine prepared from the Poovan variety had the highest overall acceptability score throughout the ageing period.

Color Stability Enhancement and Antioxidation Improvement of Sanhua Plum Wine under Circulating Ultrasound.

Anthocyanins contribute to the attractive color of fruit wine, and their excessive degradation is deleterious to quality, especially for wine with an inherently low anthocyanin content, such as Sanhua plum wine. Ultrasonic treatment is well recognized for wine color maintenance. In the present study, fresh Sanhua plum wine was ultrasonic-treated and aged in barrels for three months. Our results demonstrate that ultrasonic treatment at 28 and 40 kHz improves color performance, as expressed by an increase in a*, b*, and C* values and color intensity, which is highly related to copigmentation. This successful conservation was attributed to the inactivation of polyphenol oxidase and the corresponding reduction in anthocyanin degradation. Finally, the increased antioxidative ability was verified due to the hydrogen donating ability of the surviving anthocyanins. This study indicates the reliability of ultrasonic treatment for providing superior colorfastness during Sanhua plum wine aging, which is also of great potential in processing different fruit wines.

The effects of regions and the wine aging periods on the condensed tannin profiles and the astringency perceptions of Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

This study sought to determine the effects of wine-producing regions and aging periods on the astringency and chemistry of condensed tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon dry red wines. A wine quality study was performed with 5 vintages of 32 Cabernet Sauvignon wines produced in four Chinese wine-producing regions, Hebei (H), Xinjiang (X), Inner Mongolia (NM), and Ningxia (NX). Condensed tannin profiles were assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). The (-)-epicatechin as the terminal subunit (tEC) is the major differential component between regions. Correlation analysis revealed that condensed tannin concentration and composition significantly affected the sensory evaluation of astringency. Condensed tannin concentrations were significantly and negatively correlated with wine aging periods. However, no significant correlation was found between aging periods and condensed tannin subunits (as mole%) composition. The current findings enhance the understanding of condensed tannins' chemical and astringency characteristics in Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

Incorporating risk fairness concerns into wine futures under quality uncertainty

Quality uncertainty based on advance selling triggers risk aversion and risk fairness concerns by transaction parties, which have a great influence on their behaviours. From the perspective of social preference, risk fairness concerns refer to the disutility derived by a risk-averse party who cares about the risk difference between two parties, especially when one’s risk is disproportionately greater than another’s. In this paper, we develop an analytical framework to characterize the effect of consumers’ risk fairness concerns on both consumers’ and winemaker’s decisions in the context of wine futures (i.e., advance selling of wine before it is bottled). Neither the winemaker nor consumers know the real quality of the wine aging in barrels in advance. While the wine is aging in barrels, expert reviewers provide a barrel score by tasting the wine. The winemaker decides price and quantity according to the barrel score. Consumers make purchase decisions strategically in response to the winemaker’s decisions. We show how the winemaker should optimally respond to consumers’ risk fairness concerns and make optimal decisions. First, we find that with risk fairness concerns, the winemaker can induce consumers with low and high willingness-to-pay to purchase wine in two different periods. Second, consumers’ risk fairness concerns may have a positive effect on the winemaker and the optimal wine futures price may increase. Third, with capacity constraints, consumers’ risk fairness concerns always have a negative effect on the winemaker. Our findings emphasize the importance of incorporating risk fairness concerns into advance selling.

Investigation of the effect of hydrodynamic cavitation treatment on the aging of tender coconut–palmyra wine

The effect of hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) on accelerated aging of tender coconut and palmyra blend wine was investigated at 3.45 bar pressure and 15–60 min of treatment (72 to 287 passes). The concentrations of phenolic (3.09 mgGAE/ml) and vitamin C (61.11 mg/100 ml) were maximum after 60 min treatment. However, as treatment time increased, the combined effect of temperature and pressure decreased antioxidant content while increasing the b* value. The overall acidity and pH did not vary significantly. As a result, a 15-min treatment at 3.45 bar pressure was the most effective. Particle size analysis demonstrated a drop in particle size (D50 549.7 to 246.5) following HC treatment, indicating that HC-treated wine had a greater influence on aging than standard wine. This research highlights the application of HC as a green technique for wine aging, which might be a game changer in beverage sector. Novelty impact statement Effect of hydrodynamic cavitation at 3.45 bar for 15–60 min for the aging of wine was studied Treatment had a synergistic effect on phenols and Vit C and an antagonistic effect on color and antioxidants FTIR showed that alterations in functional compounds with time during aging of sample wines were comparable to commercial wine.

The impact of ultrasound, micro-oxygenation and oak wood type on the phenolic and volatile composition of a Tempranillo red wine

The accelerated ageing of a Tempranillo red wine has been studied at pilot scale through the combined application of ultrasound, micro-oxygenation and different oak wood type chips (American, French and Spanish). The phenolic and volatile content of the aged samples and their sensory profiles have been determined. The wine samples that had been aged using micro-oxygenation, French or American oak chips, and ultrasound revealed to be similar in terms of polyphenols to those wines that had been aged without implementing this last accelerating technique. Ageing time, with a high extraction kinetics, was the most significant variable with regard to their polyphenol content. In terms of volatiles, Spanish and French oak wood wine samples showed a similar behaviour closely associated to ageing time, while American oak wood achieved a rather low enrichment in volatile constituents, resulting in a poor sensory profile of the final wines, which was particularly poor in the case of ultrasound aged wines.

The diversity of effects of yeast derivatives during sparkling wine aging

This study shows the monitoring of the physical, chemical and sensorial changes that occur in the sparkling wine along 18 months of aging due to different typology yeast-derived products; dry inactivated yeast from Saccharomyces (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and non-Saccharomyces (Torulaspora delbrueckii) yeast strains, yeast autolysate, and yeast protein extract tested at two different doses. The addition of 5 g/hL yeast protein extract and inactivated yeast from T. delbrueckii helped to preserve esters in wines with 9 and 18 months of aging on lees. The addition of yeast autolysate achieved greater polysaccharide enrichment and gave rise to sparkling wines with the highest antioxidant activity. Effects on foaming properties were quite different depending on the aging time. Despite this, sparkling wines treated with 10 g/hL of yeast autolysate and Optimum White™ generally exhibited the highest foamability and foam stability. Further experiments with higher doses are needed to observe clear effects on sensory profile.

The effects of cold pectinase maceration and pulp juice fermentation on physicochemical properties of raspberry wine

Effects of pre-maceration and pulp juice fermentation on physicochemical characteristics, organic acid composition, phenolic profiles, and sensory evaluation of raspberry cv. Qiufu wine obtained at the end of fermentation and 4 months of aging were investigated. Results showed hot pectinase maceration (50°C, 1.5 hr) significantly (p < .05) improved the extraction of the total flavanols, but it was intensified by pulp juice fermentation, which lead to continuous growth in turbidity during aging. However, cold pectinase maceration (10°C, 1.5 hr) significantly (p < .05) improved the extraction of ellagic acid, which was considered to be a good copigment factor for color intensity stability during aging. When the combination of cold pectinase maceration with pulp juice fermentation was used, the best result wine was observed with the highest total phenol content, highest sensory scores, and better stability. PCA analysis showed that a combination of pre-maceration and fermentation was the more determining factor in defining the wine aging ability, which closely related to the proportion and chemical fate of phenolic compounds in raspberry wine. Practical application As a deep processing product of the raspberry industry, raspberry wine possesses good development prospects. These results could conduce to the establishment of a proper way to produce raspberry wines with desirable quality.

Impact of the Acetaldehyde-Mediated Condensation on the Phenolic Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Vitis vinifera L. Cv. Merlot Wine.

Acetaldehyde is a critical reactant on modifying the phenolic profile during red wine aging, suggesting that the acetaldehyde-mediated condensation can be responsible for the variation of antioxidant activity during the aging of this beverage. The present study employs exogenous acetaldehyde at six levels of treatment (7.86 ± 0.10–259.02 ± 4.95 mg/L) before the bottle aging of Merlot wines to encourage phenolic modification. Acetaldehyde and antioxidant activity of wine were evaluated at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60 and 75 days of storage, while monomeric and polymeric phenolics were analyzed at 0, 30 and 75 days of storage. The loss of acetaldehyde was fitted to a first-order reaction model, the rate constant (k) demonstrated that different chemical reaction happened in wines containing a different initial acetaldehyde. The disappearance of monomeric phenolics and the formation of polymeric phenolics induced by acetaldehyde could be divided into two phases, the antioxidant activity of wine did not alter significantly in the first phase, although most monomeric phenolics vanished, but the second phase would dramatically reduce the antioxidant activity of wine. Furthermore, a higher level of acetaldehyde could shorten the reaction time of the first phase. These results indicate that careful vinification handling aiming at controlling the acetaldehyde allows one to maintain prolonged biological activity during wine aging.

Benchmarking Spectroscopic Techniques Combined with Machine Learning to Study Oak Barrels for Wine Ageing.

Due to its physical, chemical, and structural properties, oakwood is widely used in the production of barrels for wine ageing. When in contact with the wine, oak continuously releases aromatic compounds such as lignin, tannin, and cellulose to the liquid. Due to the release process, oak loses its characteristic aromatic compounds in time; hence, the flavour that it gives to the enclosed wine decreases for repeated wine refills and a barrel replacement is required. Currently, the estimation of the maximum number of refills is empirical and its underestimation or overestimation can impose unnecessary costs and impair the quality of the wine. Therefore, there is a clear need to quantify the presence of the aforementioned aromatic compounds in an oak barrel prior to a refill. This work constitutes a study to examine noninvasive optical biosensing techniques for the characterization of an oak barrel used in wine ageing, towards the development of a model to unveil its lifespan without inducing structural damage. Spectroscopic diagnostic techniques, such as reflectance, fluorescence, and Raman scattering measurements are employed to assess the change in the chemical composition of the oakwood barrel (tannin and lignin presence) and its dependence on repeated refills. To our knowledge, this is the first time that we present a benchmarking study of oak barrel ageing characteristics through spectroscopic methods for the wine industry. The spectroscopic data are processed using standard chemometric techniques, such as Linear Discriminant Analysis and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis. Results of a study of fresh, one-time-used, and two-times-used oak barrel samples demonstrate that reflectance spectroscopy can be a valuable tool for the characterization of oak barrels. Moreover, reflectance spectroscopy has demonstrated the most accurate classification performance. The highest accuracy has been obtained by a Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis model that has been able to classify all the oakwood samples from the barrels with >99% accuracy. These preliminary results pave a way for the application of cost-effective and non-invasive biosensing techniques based on reflectance spectroscopy for oak barrels assessment.

The effects of the grape varieties and the wine aging periods on the tannin profiles and the astringency perceptions of wines

The effects of the grape varieties and the wine aging periods on the tannin profiles and the astringency perceptions of wines

Interactions of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Pinot Noir grape anthocyanins with seed proanthocyanidins and their effect on wine color and phenolic composition

The initial concentration of anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin in wine affects the development of SO2-resistant pigments, as well as color and non-color contributing polymeric fractions. However, the effect of extracted monomeric Pinot Noir (Vitis vinifera L. cv.) grape anthocyanins with seed proanthocyanidins are poorly studied. In model ferments, the reaction of purified Vitis vinifera L. cv. Pinot noir monomeric anthocyanins with seed proanthocyanidins extract were investigated at high and low concentrations of each reactant. During wine aging, monomeric anthocyanins decreased whereas SO2-resistant pigments increased. Higher anthocyanin concentrations retained more soluble tannins in model ferments during aging, while those with higher anthocyanin and lower proanthocyanidin concentrations had the highest MCP-tannin concentration in model ferments. HPLC analysis showed that the color contributing polymeric fractions are dependent upon the initial concentration of anthocyanin/proanthocyanidin ratios and more inclined towards high anthocyanin/low proanthocyanidin concentrations. Wine color parameters were measured in the form of L*, a*, b*, C (chroma) and H (hue) values and showed a decrease in hue and chroma in model wines after aging. The color data supported the HPLC findings that the initial anthocyanin/proanthocyanidin ratio was critical for the establishment of a color contributing polymeric fractions and stable deep red color in wines.

Enzymatic Characterization of Purified β-Glucosidase from Non-Saccharomyces Yeasts and Application on Chardonnay Aging

The application of β-glucosidase from non-Saccharomyces yeasts to improve wine aroma has been widely explored. However, few enzymes are active under the severe conditions of wine aging (high ethanol concentration, low temperature, and low pH). Therefore, the application of β-glucosidase in wine aging needs further research. In this study, the β-glucosidases Mg-βgl and Hu-βgl extracted from Meyerozyma guilliermondii NM218 and Hanseniaspora uvarum BF345 were purified and used in young Chardonnay wines aged for 50 days. The enzyme activity of the two enzymes was measured. The effects of the two enzymes and a commercial β-glucosidase (An-βgl) on the volatile composition and sensory quality of the wine were also determined. The results showed that Mg-βgl and Hu-βgl had high specific activity of 1.95 U/mg and 2.11 U/mg, respectively, maintaining the activity of 70–80% at 20 °C, pH of 3.0–4.0, and 15% ethanol, corresponding to wine aging conditions. Analysis of volatiles with GC-MS showed a 65–70% increase in total terpenoids and new detection of C13-norisoprenoids when the wines were treated with the three β-glucosidases. In addition, wines treated with Mg-βgl and Hu-βgl had more hexanol, phenylethanol, ethyl octanoate, ethyl heptanoate, and ethyl caprate than wines treated without and with An-βgl. In sensory analysis, the judges showed a greater preference for Hu-βgl-treated wines, to which they attributed pleasant sweet, floral, honey, pomelo, and banana aromas. The results of this study not only offer a way to improve flavor complexity in wine but also provide a reference for the use of other edible sources of β-glucosidase in wine aging.

How the Management of pH during Winemaking Affects Acetaldehyde, Polymeric Pigments and Color Evolution of Red Wine

Due to climate change and the consequent rise in grape pH, there is often the necessity of acidifying musts or wines during winemaking. In this study, the effect of early (on musts, during fermentation) and late (on wines, after the end of the fermentation) acidification was evaluated. The experimental design consisted of the preparation of seven wines from the same batch of grapes fermented in a first tank at the original pH of 3.2 and two other tanks in which the pH was adjusted to 3.5 (3.5W) and 3.9 (3.9W). On the third day of fermentation, and one week after the end of the fermentation–maceration process, aliquots of both 3.5W and 3.9W were treated to lower pH to thus obtain four more wines. After one year of aging, wines treated so as to reach a 3.2 pH significantly differed from the control wine in terms of contents of acetaldehyde, tannins reactive towards proteins and polymeric pigments. Differences were more conspicuous when acidification was carried out after the end of the fermentation–maceration process. Data highlight that the timing of acidification has a significant effect on polymerization reactions typically occurring during wine aging.

Kinetic modeling of a Sangiovese wine’s chemical and physical parameters during one-year aging in different tank materials

The present study aimed to model the kinetics of factors involved in wine aging to highlight the effects caused by different tank materials. It is known that materials affect wine composition through releasing of tannins, elementals and allowing different level of oxygen permeation. To monitor how the composition of a red wine was influenced by the contact with different kind of material, a Sangiovese red wine from the 2018 harvest was aged for one-year simultaneously in six different 5 hL tank materials including stainless steel, epoxy-coated concrete, uncoated concrete, raw earthenware, new and used oak wood. The registered differences were described through kinetic modeling of some wine’s chemical and physical parameters. In particular, the one-year evolution of the dissolved oxygen, redox potential and phenolic composition of the wines showed significant differences according to the tank material. Like the oak barrels, the raw earthenware amphorae and uncoated concrete tanks enhanced the polymerisation of the phenolic fraction of the wine. Instead, the stainless steel and epoxy-coated concrete proved to be the most chemically inert materials as they showed the least variability of redox potential and the lowest degree of color evolution.

UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap /MS2 identification of (+)-Catechin oxidation reaction dimeric products in red wines and grape seed extracts

B-type procyanidin dimers and (+)-catechin dimeric oxidation products were analyzed in grape seed extracts and red wines (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS). The different dimers had different fragmentation patterns according to their interflavan linkage position. Oxidation dimeric compounds had a specific fragment ion at m/z 393, missing for B-Type dimers fragmentations. A fragment ion at m/z 291 occurred and was specific for oxidation dimeric compounds with a COC linkage. Higher level oxidation products had abundant specific fragments: m/z 425, 397 and 245. These fragmentations were useful to identify them in complex samples such as grape seed extracts and wines. Three grape varieties and three ripening stages were selected and the corresponding seed extracts were obtained. The analyses revealed an increasing trend for the oxidation markers during grape ripening. The analysis of Syrah wines (2018, 2014, 2010) showed a decreasing trend of these molecules during wine ageing which might be due to further oxidation.