Base Wine Research Articles

Effect of Interspecific Yeast Hybrids for Secondary In-Bottle Alcoholic Fermentation of English Sparkling Wines.

In sparkling winemaking, only a few yeast strains are regularly used for the secondary in-bottle alcoholic fermentation (SiBAF). Recently, advances in yeast development programs have yielded new breeds of interspecific wine yeast hybrids that ferment efficiently while producing novel flavors and aromas. In this work, the chemical and sensorial impacts of the use of interspecific yeast hybrids for SiBAF were studied using three commercial English base wines prepared for SiBAF using two commercial and four novel interspecific hybrids. After 12 months of lees aging, the chemical and macromolecular composition, phenolic profile, foaming, viscosity and sensory properties of the resulting 13 wines were assessed. Chemically, the yeast strains did not result in significant differences in the main wine parameters, while some differences in their macromolecular contents and sensory characteristics were noticeable. The foamability was mostly unaffected by the strain used; however, some effect on the foam stability was noticeable, likely due to the differences in polysaccharides released into the wines by the yeast strains. The wines exhibited different sensory characteristics in terms of aroma and bouquet, balance, finish, overall liking and preference, but these were mostly attributable to the differences in the base wines rather than the strain used for SiBAF. Novel interspecific yeast hybrids can be used for the elaboration of sparkling wines, as they provided wines with chemical characteristics, flavor and aroma attributes similar to those of commonly used commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains.

Are the characteristics of sparkling wines obtained by the Traditional or Charmat methods quite different from each other?

In this study, we performed an analytical and sensorial comparison between sparkling wines produced by the Traditional and Charmat methods using the same base wine, yeast strain, inoculum, and aged on the lees during the same periods. The absence of evident differences in the results of the analyses of physicochemical and volatile compounds was confirmed by the sensory analysis. In general, during the tests, more evaluators could identify differences in the first stages in which sensory analyses were performed. As the ageing time on the lees increase, fewer evaluators could differentiate between the sparkling wines. It was observed that more than half of the evaluators could not differentiate the samples in all stages. Based on our data, we conclude that the method used for the second fermentation is not the determinant of the eventual differences currently associated with sparkling wine produced by the Traditional and Charmat methods.

Impact of Ageing on Ultrasound-Treated Lees on Volatile Composition and Sensory Properties of Red Sparkling Base Wine

Ageing on lees can be a good technique to enhance the quality of red sparkling base wines. Ultrasound treatment of the lees, prior to addition to the wine, can improve the releasing of their components into the wine. This study carries out a four month ageing on lees of a red sparkling base wine by the addition of lees sonicated at different amplitude levels: 30%, 60% and 90% for 10 min. The ageing on ultrasound-treated lees improved the quality of the red base wine, with a greater impact the higher the amplitude of the applied ultrasound. Sonicated lees at an amplitude of 90% enlarged the concentration of neutral polysaccharides in the wine and reduced its astringency, which was evaluated chemically. Furthermore, this treatment enhanced the concentration of some volatile compounds in the wine, mainly acetates, esters and terpenes with floral and fruity aromatic notes. This trend was also found for some fused alcohols, contributing to the aromatic complexity of wines, as well as for 2-phenylethanol, an alcohol with a rose-like aroma, and also for C6-alcohols with a green-herbaceous aroma. The results indicate that ultrasonication is a promising tool to increase the benefits of ageing on lees on the quality of red sparkling base wines.

Pattern Recognition of GC-FID Profiles of Volatile Compounds in Brandy de Jerez Using a Chemometric Approach Based on Their Instrumental Fingerprints

Brandy de Jerez is a unique spirit produced in Southern Spain under Protected Geographical Indication “Brandy de Jerez” (PGI). Two key factors for the production of quality brandies are the original wine spirit and its aging process. They are significantly conditioned by specific variables related to the base wine and the distillation method employed to produce the wine spirit used to obtain a finally aged brandy. This final beverage is therefore strongly influenced by its production process. The chromatographic instrumental fingerprints (obtained by GC FID) of the major volatile fraction of a series of brandies have been examined by applying a chemometric approach based on unsupervised (hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis) and supervised pattern recognition tools (partial least squares–discriminant analysis and support vector machine). This approach was able to identify the fermentation conditions of the original wine, the distillation method used to produce the wine spirit, and the aging process as the most influential factors on the volatile profile.

Characterization of Sparkling Wine Based on Polyphenolic Profiling by Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry

Polyphenols are phytochemicals naturally present in wines that arouse much interest in the scientific community due to their healthy properties. In addition, their role as descriptors of various wine qualities, such as the geographical origin or the grape variety, cannot be underestimated. Here, Pinot Noir and Xarel·lo monovarietal samples belonging to the sparkling wine production process have been studied, corresponding to base wines from a first alcoholic fermentation (plus malolactic in some cases), base wines resulting from tartaric stabilization, and sparkling wines from a second alcoholic fermentation aged for 3 and 7 months. One of the objectives of this paper is to obtain valuable chemical and oenological information by processing a huge amount of data with suitable chemometric methods. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet spectroscopy and tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-UV-MS/MS) has been used for the determination of polyphenols in wines and related samples. The method relies on reversed-phase mode and further detection by multiple reaction monitoring. Concentrations of relevant phenolic compounds have been determined, and the resulting compositional data have been used for characterization purposes. Exploratory studies by principal component analysis have shown that samples can be discriminated according to varietal and quality issues. Further classification models have been established to assign unknown samples to their corresponding classes. For this purpose, a sequential classification tree has been designed involving both variety and quality classes, and an excellent classification rate has been achieved.

Changes in the phenolic complex of red aboriginal grape varieties in the system “grapes – base wine sparkling wine”

Due to the increased consumer interest in domestic wine products, winemaking enterprises are paying special attention to the use of aboriginal grape varieties now, in order to give products with distinctive characteristics, enabling to take the rightful place in wine market. However, there is no sufficient information about changes in the phenolic complex of grapes in the process of producing sparkling wines from red aboriginal varieties. The phenolic complex of grapes, base wines and sparkling wines produced from them was assessed, followed by the correlation established between the content of total phenolic, including coloring, substances in base wines and sparkling wines with their initial content and macerating (extracting) ability of these grape components, with corresponding correlation coefficients, which can be used for targeted regulation of accumulating these components.

Adaptación y desarrollo del velo de flor en vinos “sobretablas” de la D.O. Jerez-Xèrés-Sherry fortificados con alcoholes no vínicos

The EC 2019/187 shows the rules for the usage of ethyl alcohols to fortify wines. These must be obtained from products derived from agriculture and the use of alcohols of mineral or chemical origin is not authorized. The ethyl alcohols authorized for the fortification in the D.O. Sherry have wine origin. But, there are other alcohols that could be equally productive and at a lower economic cost, such as beet or sugar cane alcohol. The effect that different types of ethyl alcohols may have on the yeasts of flor remains unknown. Our goal was to analyze the effects of other alcohols (beet, sugar cane, etc.) on the development of the veil of flor. In this way, the yeasts that constitute the veil of flor of Fino wines were isolated and identified by microbiological techniques and characterized by molecular tools and by biochemical and microbiological tests such as cellular hydrophobicity, flocculation, acetic acid production, etc. Then, base wines were fortified with different distilled alcohols, such as malt brandy, tequila, among others. Biological aging under the veil of flor was monitored to later determine the volatile fractions. Alcohol from sugar cane could be a promising alternative to fortify Fino wines.

Influence of the use of sulfur dioxide, the distillation method, the oak wood type and the aging time on the production of brandies

Brandies are spirits produced from wine spirit and wine distillates. The original wines selected to be distilled to produce the wine spirits as well as the distillation method used determine, to a large extent, the organoleptic characteristics of the final products. The young wine spirits evolve during their aging in oak casks, this being another key stage that affects the chemical and sensorial characteristics of the final brandy. In this work, seven different brandies have been studied. They were obtained from wine produced with and without the addition of sulfur dioxide, during their fermentation, using different distillation methods (single, double or serial distillation using pot stills and continuous column distillation) and aged for 14 or 28 months in three different types of oak wood (Quercus alba, Quercus robur and Quercus petraea) previously toasted to two different grades (medium or light).The use of unsupervised pattern recognition methods (HCA and FA) determined that the addition of sulfur dioxide during the fermentation of the base wine has a major influence on the aromatic and phenolic profile of the aged distillates. On the other hand, by means of supervised pattern recognition methods such as LDA and ANNs, the most significant variables that would allow to discriminate between the classes of brandies identified in the study were evaluated. Thus, the results obtained should cast some light on the most significant variables to be taken into account regarding Brandy production processes if a better control over these production processes is to be achieved, so that more exclusive and better quality products are obtained.

Foliar Fertilizers as A Method Of Phenolic Ripeness Control

Due to global warming, there is a problem to correlate technical and phenolic ripeness in modern viticulture. This study is focused on the use of foliar fertilizers in order to combine the time of beginning of phenolic and technical ripeness. The studies were carried out in 2022 in the conditions of mountain-valley coastal viticulture zone of the Republic of Crimea. Foliar top dressing was carried out with the preparation ‘Agrogemo’ (LLC Pontis, Russian Federation) on wine grape varieties ‘Bastardo Magarachskiy’ and ‘Malbec’. The Glories method was used to estimate the ripeness degree of grapes. The principle of it is to determine the total and extractable anthocyanin potential of grapes. Using of foliar fertilizers made it possible to increase the yield of ‘Bastardo Magarachskiy’ variety by 15.3%, and ‘Malbec’ variety by 18.1%. It was found that the experimental treatment scheme contributed to the later beginning of technical ripeness of grapes, i.e. a low percentage of non-extractable anthocyanins from grape skin compared to the control. Base wines obtained from grapes with the use of organic-mineral fertilizer were characterized by the intense color, balanced aroma and flavor.

Factors forming the quality of brandy distillates

The formation of brandy quality affects all stages of its production. Biological and technological properties of grapes determine the composition of aroma-producing components of brandy base wines and distillates, which participate in composing of finished product typical properties. The purpose of the study included the factors forming the quality of brandy distillates, and technological methods for their regulating. Physicochemical, biochemical and technological analyses of grape varieties were carried out. The composition features of grapes were identified depending on their origin, climatic conditions and geographical zone. A system of grape indicators in the production of brandy distillates was substantiated, on the basis of which the parameters for optimizing production processes to improve the quality of finished product were developed.

АГРОБИОЛОГИЧЕСКАЯ И ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКАЯ ОЦЕНКА СОРТОВ ВИНОГРАДА СПАРТАНЕЦ МАГАРАЧА И РИСЛИНГ МАГАРАЧА В ЗАПАДНОМ ПРЕДГОРНО-ПРИМОСРКОМ РАЙОНЕ ВИНОГРАДАРСТВА КРЫМА

Agrobiological and technological indicators of wine grapevine varieties ‘Riesling Magaracha’ and ‘Spartanets Magaracha’ bred in the Institute Magarach and cultivated in the piedmont-coastal region of Crimean viticulture are presented. The variety ‘Aligote’ is taken as a control. The production period duration for ‘Spartanets Magaracha’ variety was 132 days, corresponding to the early-medium time of ripening, and for ‘Riesling Magaracha’ variety - 144 days, corresponding to the medium ripening period. According to the potential of heat supply, the soil-climatic conditions of the western piedmont-coastal region of Crimean viticulture (3640 ºС) can be considered as favorable for cultivation of the studied grape varieties. The varieties studied exceed the control variety in terms of the indicators: "fruiting coefficient" ‒ 1.1‒1.16, "average bunch weight" ‒ 220.0‒240.0 g, "yield per bush" - 3.36-3.52 kg/bush, and "shoot productivity by the raw bunch weight" ‒ 242.0‒278.4 g/shoot. In accordance with tasting assessment, table (7.80‒7.85) and dessert (7.80) base wines made of white grape varieties ‘Riesling Magaracha’ and ‘Spartanets Magaracha’ are promising for both table and dessert winemaking.

Influence of Caffeic and Caftaric Acid, Fructose, and Storage Temperature on Furan Derivatives in Base Wine.

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of caffeic and caftaric acid, fructose, and storage temperature on the formation of furan-derived compounds during storage of base wines. Base wines produced from Chardonnay grapes were stored at 15 and 30 °C for 90 days with additions of fructose, caffeic acid, and caftaric acid independently or in combinations. Wines were analyzed following 90 days of storage for: total hydroxycinnamic acids, degree of browning, caffeic acid and caftaric acid concentrations, and nine furan-derived compounds. Caffeic and caftaric acid additions increased homofuraneol concentration by 31% and 39%, respectively, at 15 °C (p < 0.05). Only the addition of caffeic acid increased furfural by 15% at 15 °C (p < 0.05). Results demonstrate that some furan derivatives over 90 days at 15 °C increased slightly with 5 mg/L additions of caffeic and caftaric acid. This is the first time the influence of hydroxycinnamic acids on furan-derived compounds has been reported during short-term aging of base wine at cellar temperature.

Exploring the response to a new range of ethanol reductions in Chardonnay and Syrah wines using a Consumer Rejection Threshold approach

Ethanol is one of the major components of wine, which has a substantial impact on its sensory characteristics. However, data concerning consumer response to ethanol or changes in ethanol remains limited. The aim of this study was to determine the threshold ethanol concentrations beyond which ethanol lowering becomes undesirable in Chardonnay and Syrah wines using the consumer rejection threshold (CRT) methodology. Base wines from these two cultivars were first dearomatised and fully dealcoholised using spinning cone column technology. Then, control wines with a similar ethanol content to the base wines (13.8 and 13.5 % v/v for Chardonnay and Syrah respectively) and wines with lower ethanol contents were reconstituted by mixing the final beverage, the aroma fraction, food grade ethanol and distilled water. CRT values were determined as 2.8 % v/v for Chardonnay and at 7.0 % v/v for Syrah. These particularly low and unexpected concentrations indicate that consumer sensory liking might not be necessarily driven by ethanol concentration, especially for white wines. However, the post-evaluation questionnaire showed that consumers were expecting a high minimal ethanol content for quality wines (10.9 % v/v ± 1.2 and 11.7 % v/v ± 1.5 for white and red wines respectively) and had a limited experience with low and dealcoholised wines. Overall, our data, which are still preliminary and deserve to be validated using different base wines with a larger number of consumers, show that consumers would not necessarily be refractory from a sensory standpoint to the consumption of low ethanol beverages made from wine. Our findings strongly encourage professionals from the wine industry and public authorities to raise awareness about the increase in quality of such products and their benefits for human health.

Aroma and terpenoid profile of Chardonnay clone 809: from berry to sparkling wine

Clone selection is a viticultural practice applied to evaluate the behaviour and agronomic and flavour characteristics of a material in a determined environment to obtain wines with different aromatic attributes. The clones of the cultivar Chardonnay comprise aromatic and non-aromatic clones that can provide different sensorial qualities. This work aimed to evaluate the volatile compounds formed in clone 809 (aromatic) to produce a more aromatic sparkling wine in Serra da Mantiqueira (southeast Brazil) and compare it to clone 76 (non-aromatic) from the berry to the wine. The vineyards are in Caldas (Minas Gerais – Brazil) at the Agronomical Research Centre of Minas Gerais (EPAMIG), and the vinification was performed using the Champenoise method (18 months in sur lie). HS-SPME/GC-MS identified free volatile compounds in two consecutive seasons, 2017 and 2018, in grape, musts, base wines and sparkling wines. The number and abundance of monoterpenoid compounds in clone 809 were statistically significant compared to clone 76 for all sample steps. Multivariate and principal component analyses (PCA) made it possible to differentiate the base and sparkling wines by the clones in both vintages for the second component (16.8 %). Furthermore, the sparkling wines of clone 809 were discriminated for the third component (15.1 %) by the monoterpenes: α-terpineol, linalool, ß-myrcene, hotrienol, nerol oxide, and limonene. The data suggest that Chardonnay clone 809 can contribute to obtaining a sparkling wine with an additional floral and sweet character.

A Study on the Influence of the Use of Sulphur Dioxide, the Distillation System and the Aging Conditions on the Final Sensory Characteristics of Brandy.

Brandy is a unique alcoholic beverage obtained from wine distillates. Numerous studies have been published on its physicochemical traits and the effect of certain elaboration variables on them, but not many studies have been carried out from a sensory point of view or that have followed standardized methods applicable to this discipline. This study intends to determine the effect that certain production variables have on the sensory characteristics of brandy. These variables are the following: The use of sulphur dioxide during the fermentation of the base wine, the subsequent distillation system, the alcohol content during aging, the botanical origin of the aging casks, and their toasting degree. For this purpose, the guidelines provided by the ISO standards for sensory analysis have been followed, and chromatic parameters have also been determined. Heavy extractions from Quercus petraea casks resulted in brandies with widely varying colors, although these were hard to distinguish using the olfactory and gustatory properties associated with the factors under study. Conversely, those brandies aged in Quercus alba casks presented very consistent greenish shades that are not traditionally associated with aged brandy. This lower extraction could explain why the aromatic traits that are found in the fresh spirit are better preserved when this type of oak is used. The spirit obtained through the distillation of SO2-free wines aged in Quercus robur presented average sensory characteristics: Good color, smooth in the mouth, and medium-intensity oak notes. The distillates that were aged at 55% ABV were later perceived as more aromatically intense with a greater oak note on the palate. On the other hand, the brandies obtained from wines without SO2 added were perceived as less alcoholic, sweeter, and more balanced, with a softer oak note.

Genetic improvement of non-conventional Torulaspora delbrueckii for traditional sparkling winemaking by mixing for eventual hybridization with Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Non-conventional yeasts such as Torulaspora delbrueckii (Td) have been proposed for sparkling winemaking. Unfortunately, this yeast has poor efficiency in completing wine fermentation as compared to Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc). New mutants with increased resistance to SO2, ethanol, and high CO2 pressure were previously isolated from spore clones of Td. Although these mutants showed improved capability for base wine fermentation, there is still room for genetic improvement of Td yeasts until the fermentative capacity of Sc is achieved. As an alternative approach, yeast mixture for eventual hybridization of Td with Sc was assayed in this study. The new yeast mixture clones (Sc-mixed Td) showed an intermediate phenotype between both parent yeasts for some relevant biotechnological properties, such as resistance to SO2, ethanol, copper, high CO2 pressure, and high temperature, as well as flocculation potential. These properties varied depending on the specific Sc-mixed Td clone. Several mixture clones showed improved capability for base wine fermentation as compared to the Td parent strain, approaching the fermentation capability of the Sc parent strain. The organoleptic quality of sparkling wine was also improved by using some mixture clones and this improved quality coincided with an increased amount of acetate and ethyl esters. The genetic stability of some Sc-mixed Td clones was good enough for commercial yeast production and winery applications.

A forecast of Cava wine sales applied to vine planting authorizations

PurposeThis paper aims to establish the determinants of production in the Spanish Designation of Origin (DO) area for Cava wine and forecasts sales to establish vineyard area variations that maintain market equilibrium.Design/methodology/approachBy applying a vector autoregressive (VAR) model, the authors forecast demand and the consequent requirements for base wine production.FindingsThe results show that Cava sales determine the base wine supply. After forecasting demand and the consequent requirements for base wine, the authors’ results show that, to avoid oversupply, the vineyard area for Cava wine should not be increased.Practical implicationsThe paper develops a simple and effective method for DOs affected by the current European wine plantation regulations to forecast from a supply and demand perspective and their surface needs in response to market changes.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature because, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no other study has investigated the determinants of Cava supply and demand or defines a model to assess the effects of changes in growing areas. The model is applicable to other European protected designations of origin wines and would help policymakers to accurately establish vine planting authorizations.

Influence of the Dry Yeast Preparation Method on Final Sparkling Wine Characteristics

The effect of preparing the commercial yeast prise de mousse S. cerevisiae IOC 18-2007 on the second fermentation kinetics of a Macabeo white base wine was evaluated. The influence of yeast preparation on the final “Cava” sparkling wines was determined. The medium glucose, peptone, yeast extract (GPY medium), and the characteristic classic pied de cuve procedure were used to prepare the inoculum, which was placed besides a tirage liqueur inside bottles in which a second fermentation took place by the “traditional method”. The fermentation kinetics were similar for the first 60 days regardless of the employed yeast inoculum preparation. In both cases, glucose was exhausted and a few grams of fructose remained on day 30. The ethanol concentration after 60 days was the same in all of the wines. The sparkling wines inoculated with the GPY-grown yeasts showed higher titratable acidity, lower total polysaccharide and protein contents, and greater foamability (HM) and foam stability (HS). Regarding volatile compounds, these wines contained higher esters, fatty acids, higher alcohols, and γ-butyrolactone. Differences in the wine’s visual and flavor attributes were not significant no matter what inoculum was used. However, the aroma score was significantly higher in the wines inoculated with the pied de cuve-prepared yeasts.

Effects of using cationic exchange for reducing pH on the composition and quality of sparkling wine (Cava)

Climate change is affecting vine and grape physiology and consequently wine composition, causing a decrease in titratable acidity and an increase in ethanol content and pH. These effects are especially problematic in sparkling wines that need higher acidity to maintain an adequate freshness. Therefore, the wine industry is currently using certain procedures for reducing wine pH, among which cation exchange stands out as it is probably the most widely used. To study the influence of cation exchange treatment on the composition and quality of sparkling wines, a grape juice of Macabeo (pH 3.21 and titratable acidity 5.70 g of tartaric acid/L) after settling was treated to obtain a very acidic grape juice (pH 1.9 and titratable acidity 8.70 g of tartaric acid/L). The original grape juice was then blended in different proportions (0-45 %) with a treated grape juice. These different grape juices were used for obtaining their corresponding base wines which in turn were used for elaborating their corresponding sparkling wines using the traditional method. The cation exchange treatment reduced the pH from 3.15 (Control) to 2.87 (45 % of treatment) and increased the titratable acidity from 4.61 (Control) to 7.69 (45 % of treatment). No significant effects were observed on the concentration of any of the protein or polysaccharide fractions and the foaming properties of the base wine or young sparkling wines were not affected; however, cation exchange caused a decrease in foamability and persistence of the foam in older sparkling wines, especially when the proportion of treated grape juice was higher. A trained panel only found clear sensory differences in the acidity of the sparkling wines without the rest of the attributes being affected by the treatment.

Decreased Leaf Potassium Content Affects the Chemical Composition of Must for Sparkling Wine Production

The must used to make sparkling wine has a low pH value and moderate sugar content, and its potassium content can have a strong influence. An excess of potassium often leads to an insufficient supply of magnesium, since potassium has a strong antagonistic effect on magnesium, and, consequently, to poorer photosynthesis and a poorer quality of the must. The aim of this study was to determine whether the application of foliar fertilizers based on magnesium, phosphorus, and amino acids could reduce leaf potassium content, affecting the reductions in sugar content and pH value and increasing the total acidity of the must. A fertilizer trial with three replicates was conducted on the cultivar Istrian Malvasia (TCtrl—NPK, TMg—NPK + Agromag (6% MgO), TMgP—NPK + Agromag + Fosforo (30% P2O5) i TMgPBS—NPK + Agromag + Fosforo + Bio Prot) in a random complete block design. The NPK fertilizer was applied in the autumn. Foliar fertilization was applied three times during the growing season (31 May, 7 July, and 22 August 2014), and leaf samples were collected for leaf analysis before each application. The results show that foliar fertilization significantly reduced leaf potassium content, especially when treated with magnesium alone (treatment TMg). In addition, foliar fertilization significantly lowered the pH and increased the sugar content of the must. The results obtained in this research give a scientific contribution to the creation of fertilizer treatments for vines with a positive effect on the basic chemical composition of the base wine and provide a good basis for further research in reducing the use of certain enological practices during production.