Tannat Wines Research Articles

Exploring the potential of cellulose autofluorescence for optical detection of tannin in red wines

The growing demand for opto-electronic devices within an automated landscape has opened up new opportunities for harnessing sustainable cellulose materials for sensors technology. Cellulose, a versatile material, enables its combination with other materials, but in most of these applications, cellulose is typically employed as support or substrate, while its inherent autofluorescence remains largely underexplored for sensors. In light of this context, this study delves into the autofluorescence characteristics of pristine cellulose nanocrystals extracted from wood via enzymatic route for optical sensors tailored to detect tannins. By fine-tuning the experimental setup, photoluminescence (PL) emission bands were scrutinized across three distinct spectral regions, namely 300–400 nm, 400–500 nm and 550–700 nm. The proposed mechanism reveals the occurrence of dynamic fluorescence quenching, which enabled the selective monitoring of tannins in red wines across a dynamic range spanning from 10 to 1060 μg mL−1. This sensing platform provided a limit of detection (LoD) of 6.1 μg mL−1. Notably, the sensing platform's efficacy was validated with remarkable recovery rates of 99.7 % and 95.3 % when subjected to testing with cabernet sauvignon and tannat wines. These findings emphasize the sensing platform's potential for monitoring tannic acids in beverages and food products.

Wine tasters’ sensory response to delicate and robust flower arrangements

The arrangements of flowers and wine counterparts are inextricably linked. Whether a fundamental aspect of tablescaping or acolytes to broader entertainment rituals, they have an interlaced history since ancient times. The aim of this contribution is twofold: first, we seek to understand how the colour composition pattern of flower arrangements (e.g., value, saturation, and temperature) influence the subjects' perception of flower arrangements' delicacy or robustness. Second, we aim to verify the influence of visually delicate and robust flower arrangements on individual judgment of wines. Forty-one subjects evaluated the delicacy and robustness of eight flower arrangements with different colour composition patterns in an online environment. Results showed that analogous flower arrangements that combined flowers with high value, low saturation, and cool temperature were perceived as more delicate than the analogous flower arrangements that combined flowers with low value, high saturation, and warm temperature. The latter were perceived as more robust. Subsequently, sensory descriptions and hedonic judgments of wines were investigated during subjects' exposure to three different conditions: the presence of delicate, robust, or totally absent flower arrangements. In each condition, two wines were tasted blind: a wine previously defined as delicate – a Pinot Noir from Australia, and a wine known for its robust character – a Tannat from Uruguay. Results showed that both wines were perceived as being more delicate when tasted in presence of the ‘delicate’ flower arrangement (compared to ‘robust’ or ‘no’ arrangements). There was, however, no interaction effect between type of wine and flower arrangement. Despite this lack of interaction, Tannat wines were clustered together with Pinot Noir wines, when tasted in the presence of the delicate flower arrangement and were described as more delicate than when the same wine was tasted in the control room (no flowers present), suggesting a visual-mouthfeel cross modality effect. The results of this investigation could help event organisers (i.e., weddings and the entertainment-related sector), as well as wine lovers in general, consider the style of wines and how they combined with the colour characteristics of flower arrangements during tablescaping.

Application of near-infrared spectroscopy/artificial neural network to quantify glycosylated norisoprenoids in Tannat grapes

Grape variety, vinification, and ageing are factors conditioning the aroma of a wine, with volatile secondary metabolites responsible for the so-called grape varietal character. Particularly, grape glycosylated norisoprenoids are mostly responsible for the sensory profile of Tannat wines, making relevant the use of fast instrumental tools to evaluate their concentration, allow classifying grapes and defining the optimum maturity for harvest. NIR spectroscopy is a fast, non-destructive technique, which requires minimal sample preparation. However, its quantitative applications need chemometric models for interpretation. In this work, a NIR-ANN calibration was developed to quantify norisoprenoids in Vitis vinifera cv. Tannat grapes during maturation and harvesting. Glycosidated norisoprenoids were determined by GC–MS. The ANN adjustments showed better performance than linear models such as PLS, while the best calibration was obtained by homogenising grape samples when comparing to grape juice; making possible to fit a model with an error of 146 μg/kg.

Influence of beta glucosidases from native yeast on the aroma of Muscat and Tannat wines

It is now well established that β-glucosidases (BGLs) from non-Saccharomyces yeasts are key enzymes that hydrolyze grape-derived aroma precursors enhancing the flavour of wines. This work reports on the specificity for wine glycosides and the impact on wine aroma, of three native yeast β-glucosidases. Volatile compounds were analyzed by gas-chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) and wine aroma was studied by sensory analysis. Issatchenkia terricola β-glucosidase stood out from the other β-glucosidases studied. The I. terricola BGL showed remarkable specificity for norisoprenoid aglycones such as: 3-oxo-7, 8-dihydro-alpha-ionol, 3-oxo-α-ionol, vomifoliol. This different specificity was perceived in the sensory tests. The judges described pleasant fruity, sweet, honey and raisin notes in both Tannat and Muscat wines treated with I. terricola BGL. These results are particularly remarkable for Tannat wines, since there are few reports concerning the application of β-glucosidases to enhance its aroma of Tannat, and none with BGLs from native yeasts.

Physico-chemical characterization of wines produced by different rootstock and Vitis vinifera cv. Tannat clones in vineyards of subtropical climate region

Tannat wine trees are well characterized in Uruguay and the French region of Madiran for their high colour and phenolic concentrations. In addition to the cultivar, the rootstock, clone and region of production can influence the phenolic concentrations of wines. In this context, this study evaluated the rootstocks 'SO4' (Vitis berlandieri x Vitis riparia), 'Gravesac' ('161-49C' x '3309C') and '3309C' (Vitis riparia x Vitis rupestris) grafted with Tannat cultivar clones ('Californian', '944', '717', '398' and '794') to assess the physicochemical, phenolic and sensorial composition of the wine produced in the Campanha Gaúcha (RS) region, Southern Brazil, in a subtropical climate region. A vineyard planted in 2007 was used in this study (for 3 years during 2015, 2016 and 2017). The wine composition and the sensorial profile were evaluated as dependent variables. This study showed that the rootstocks and the Tannat clones did not influence the dependent variables evaluated and that the genetic materials and their combinations presented high oenological potential, providing wines with high alcohol content, colour and phenolic compound concentrations. This study suggests the diversification of rootstocks and clones as a way of increasing genetic variability, avoiding the cultivation of a single rootstock and clone.

Influence of the use of unripe grapes to reduce ethanol content and pH on the color, polyphenol and polysaccharide composition of conventional and hot macerated Pinot Noir and Tannat wines

The aim of this research was to determine the effectiveness of the substitution of grape juice of grapes with different maturation degree and prefermentative hot maceration to obtain Pinot Noir and Tannat red wines with lower alcohol content and pH and higher color and phenolic compound concentrations. Immature grape juice was extracted of grapes harvested in veraison and kept at 4 °C until its use. In technological maturity, the grapes harvested were destemmed, crushed and distributed in 12 containers per cultivar. Six were controls while in the other six 3 L of the original grape juice were substituted by 3 L of unripe grape juice. Next, three containers from each experimental group were traditionally macerated, while the other three were submitted to a prefermentative hot maceration (one hour at 60–70 °C). All treatments performed a fermentative maceration of 7 days. Wines produced from substituted musts had lower alcohol content (14% off) and pH (9% off) and higher titratable acidity (48% more), but no other important changes in wine components were detected. Prefermentative hot maceration increased wine color intensity (50%), total phenolic compounds (66%), total anthocyanin (42%), proanthocyanidin (65%) and polysaccharide (95%) concentrations. The joint consideration of both techniques is an interesting tool to simultaneously mitigate the problems caused by climate change with respect to the maturity of the grape and improve the color of the wine and its concentration in polysaccharides and phenolic compounds.

Impact on Tannat wines aroma produced by different yeast using three vinification systems

Vinifications were conducted using pure cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and mixed cultures by sequential inoculation of a Hanseniaspora vineae (T02/05F) and Hanseniaspora clermontiae (A10/82F), with a Saccharomyces cerevisiae conventional strain. The vinification systems applied to Tannat grapes were defined: semipilot, pilot and industrial scale. Fifty-one volatile compounds were identified in all the vinifications, sixteen of them were above the aroma threshold values and potentially contributed to the final sensory profiles. A sensory characterization of aroma was carried out using the projective mapping technique, with forty-eight consumers who made evaluation of the three vinifications. Multiple factorial analysis was used to compare the chemical and sensory data to find correlations. The results obtained from both methodologies were coincident, confirming the aromatic tendencies found in the different vinifications. Both studies demonstrated that wines obtained by semipilot scale was characterized by descriptors associated with “chemical” and “floral”; those from pilot vinification by the “spicy” descriptor; while industrial vinification produced wines described as “fruit” and “wood”.

Geographical Classification of Tannat Wines Based on Support Vector Machines and Feature Selection

Geographical product recognition has become an issue for researchers and food industries. One way to obtain useful information about the fingerprint of wines is by examining that fingerprint’s chemical components. In this paper, we present a data mining and predictive analysis to classify Brazilian and Uruguayan Tannat wines from the South region using the support vector machine (SVM) classification algorithm with the radial basis kernel function and the F-score feature selection method. A total of 37 Tannat wines differing in geographical origin (9 Brazilian samples and 28 Uruguayan samples) were analyzed. We concluded that given the use of at least one anthocyanin (peon-3-glu) and the radical scavenging activity (DPPH), the Tannat wines can be classified with 94.64% accuracy and 0.90 Matthew’s correlation coefficient (MCC). Furthermore, the combination of SVM and feature selection proved useful for determining the main chemical parameters that discriminate with regard to the origin of Tannat wines and classifying them with a high degree of accuracy. Additionally, to our knowledge, this is the first study to classify the Tannat wine variety in the context of two countries in South America.

Relationship between astringency and phenolic composition of commercial Uruguayan Tannat wines: Application of boosted regression trees

Phenolic compounds play a major role in the intensity and characteristics of wine astringency. However, studies involving commercial wine samples are still scarce. The aim of the present work was to study the relationship between astringency and phenolic composition of commercial Uruguayan Tannat wines using boosted regression trees (BRT), a novel predictive method. Forty commercial Tannat wines were evaluated by a trained sensory panel (9 members), who assessed their total astringency intensity using time-intensity (TI) and described their astringency sub-qualities using a check-all-that-apply (CATA) question composed of sixteen terms. The polyphenolic profiles of the wines were determined by HPLC-MS and conventional oenological parameters were also obtained. Fifty BRT models with different partitions of the data in training and test sets were built for astringency maximum intensity (Imax) and for the frequency of use of the 16 astringency sub-qualities considered in the CATA question. As predictor variables, 84 phenolic compounds and oenological parameters were considered for all BRT models. Both strong and weak predictive models were obtained for each response variable. Predictive accuracy was much higher for astringency intensity than for the frequency of mention of astringency sub-qualities. Still, the BRT models allowed to point out to some compositional variables most likely involved in wine astringency perception. Total tannin concentration (chemically determined) was the most relevant explanatory variable for sensory astringency, while flavan-3-ols were the individual phenolic compounds with the highest contribution to astringency, particularly some dimers, trimers and the sum of non-galloylated tetramers. However, the effect of these predictors differed according to the astringency sub-quality considered as response. As expected, non-linear relationships between phenolic compounds and astringency were found. These results contribute to the understanding of the influence of phenolic composition on wine astringency and stress the potential of BRT models for identifying the compounds responsible for this complex sensory characteristic.

Astringency evaluation of Tannat wines: Comparison of assessments from trained assessors and experts

AbstractAstringency is one of the differential characteristics of Tannat wine, the emblematic wine of the Uruguayan wine‐making industry. The aim of this study was twofold: First, to compare wine astringency characterization of experts and trained assessors, and second, to identify which astringency characteristics influence experts' perception of astringency quality. Six commercial Uruguayan Tannat wines were evaluated in triplicate by a trained assessors panel (n = 9). Assessors rated the global astringency intensity using a time‐intensity task, and described astringency subqualities using a check‐all‐that‐apply (CATA) question composed of 16 terms. Samples were also assessed by 30 experts who rated astringency intensity and quality using 9‐point structured scales. In addition, experts described astringency subqualities of samples and of their ideal high‐quality Tannat wine using a CATA question. Significant differences among samples were found in astringency intensity for both panels and expert's perceived quality. Agreement between trained assessors and experts in astringency intensity evaluations was observed, but differences in their description of astringency subqualities were found. Astringency quality as perceived by experts was not related only to astringency global intensity; astringency subqualities complex and velvety were the main drivers of astringency quality, while puckery, sand paper, and irritant significantly lowered quality scores.Practical applicationsWine astringency characterization is a very complex task that should ideally be performed by a group of trained assessors following standardized protocols. However, most wineries still rely on the judgment of wine experts for decision‐making. Results from the present work suggest that although trained assessors and experts evaluated wine astringency similarly, their description of astringency subqualities strongly differed.

Under-trellis cover crop and deficit irrigation to regulate water availability and enhance Tannat wine sensory attributes in a humid climate

Abstract The goal of our study was to improve Tannat grape and wine composition by achieving vine balance in high-capacity conditions. The current Uruguayan grape-growing paradigm accepts unpredictable periods of water deficit or excess in non-irrigated vineyards, only applying herbicides to eliminate weed competition (H). We used an under-trellis cover crop (UTCC) to limit vine water availability and to reduce vine growth rate and final canopy size. However, to avoid excessive vine water stress due to UTCC competition, irrigation was used as needed during water deficit periods. The experiment was conducted over three consecutive growing seasons from 2011 to 2013, in two experimental vineyards located in southern Uruguay (34° S 56° W). Treatments were: UTCC (full cover of the vineyard soil with tall fescue) versus conventional alleyway tall fescue with a 1.0 m-wide weed-free strip under the trellis. Deficit drip irrigation was provided at mid-day stem water potential (SWP) thresholds of −0.9 MPa early in the season and −1.1 MPa later. Shoot growth rate, SWP, berry size and berry composition (Brix, organic acids, total anthocyanins) were monitored over the season as well as final yield, cluster and pruning weights and wine sensory attributes. UTCC regulated vine vegetative growth and final canopy size and reduced bunch rot incidence as well as increasing fruit Brix and anthocyanin concentration in grapes and wines. Wines from UTCC treatments had an increased fruity aroma and overall aroma intensity levels and had distinctive sensory characteristics that exceeded those of H wines during overall palatability tests (liking tests).

Use of solid phase microextraction to identify volatile organic compounds in brazilian wines from different grape varieties

Abstract The Brazilian wine industry has shown significant growth in recent years and the insertion of new concepts, such as geographical indications as signs of quality, has placed Brazil in tune with the tendencies of world wine production. The aim of this work was to apply the Solid Phase Microextraction technique in combination with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry to study Brazilian wines made from different grape varieties, in order to separate and identify their volatile organic compounds. These substances were identified by comparisons between the spectra obtained with those presented in the NIST library database, and by comparisons with linear retention indices and literature data. The amounts of the compounds were calculated based on the total peak areas of the chromatograms. Forty-seven volatile compounds were identified and grouped into alcohols, aldehydes, fatty acids, esters, hydrocarbons, ketones and terpenes. Most of them belonged to the ester function, conferring a fruity aroma on the wines. The alcohols may have originated from the yeast metabolism, contributing to the alcoholic and floral aromas. Ethyl lactate, 1-hexanol and diethyl maleate were identified in all the varieties, except Merlot. Decanal, methyl citronellate, (E)-2-hexenyl-3-methylbutyrate were only found in Merlot, while 2,3-butanediol was only present in the Tannat wines. 2-Phenylethanol was present in all varieties and is recognized as giving pleasant rose and honey attributes to wines. This study showed that the volatile profile of red wines is mainly characterized by esters and higher alcohols. The statistical analysis of the comparison of averages showed a greater amount of averages significantly different in the relative areas of Merlot wine. The Principal Component Analysis showed one grouping composed only of the Merlot wine samples, and this was probably related to the existence of the volatile organic compounds that were specifically identified in these wines.

Zinc determination in Tannat wine by direct injection onto graphite tube: Electrothermal AAS as an alternative to flame AAS

A novel method was developed for the determination of zinc in wine by direct-injection electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). Unlike the OIV (Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin) reference method, which is based on flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), the proposed method does not require any sample preparation.Previous to the development of this method a reappraisal of the possible interferences found during the determination of zinc in wine by the reference OIV method was undertaken. Aiming at minimising sample preparation during FAAS method, alternatives such as the use of matched-matrix standards and the use of the Standard Additions Method (SAM) were studied, however different samples of Tannat wine produced in Uruguay exhibited widely different interference patterns, precluding the possible development of an alternate sample preparation-free FAAS method. Thus a new method based on direct-injection ETAAS was developed.The method is based on the atomic absorption of zinc at the alternate resonance wavelength of 307.6nm. Samples are injected in the graphite furnace without preparation and the determination carried out by SAM. Quantification limit was 0.10mgL−1 and linearity was confirmed in the range 0.10–10mgL−1. Precision (repeatability, sr (%), n=5) was calculated at three concentration levels and found to be better than 5%. When compared with the OIV reference method, results agreed within 10%. The method is fit for the purpose of routine analytical quality control, requiring no sample preparation and thus less labour and producing less chemical waste.

Sensory characterization of the astringency of commercial Uruguayan Tannat wines

Astringency is one of the most important characteristics that define the quality of red wine, and is of particular relevance for Tannat, Uruguayan emblematic red wine variety. Astringency is a time-dependant and complex sensory characteristic, related to several sensations, or sub-qualities, that can be simultaneously perceived. The aim of the present study was to obtain a sensory characterization of the astringency of commercial Uruguayan Tannat wines. Forty samples with different characteristics in terms of vintage, price segment and aging in oak barrels were assessed by a panel of 9 trained assessors. Total astringency intensity was evaluated using time-intensity (TI), while astringency sub-qualities were described using a check-all-that-apply (CATA) question composed of sixteen terms. TI and the CATA question provided different information on the astringency of Tannat wines. Regarding global astringency, samples mainly differed in intensity-related parameters rather than in the development of astringency over time, although the variability was moderate. A wide range of sub-qualities, from silky and velvety to harsh and aggressive were used to describe the astringency of the evaluated wines. Four groups of samples with different astringency characteristics were identified, but this sorting was not related to vintage, price segment or aging in oak barrels. Further research is necessary to better understand how astringency characteristics are influenced by production variables, and to understand their relationship to consumers' and experts' perceived quality of Tannat wines.

Role of grapevine vegetative expression on Aspergillus spp. incidence and OTA accumulation in wines produced in a temperate humid climate

ABSTRACTAspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. are the main producers of ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin responsible for fatal human diseases. Some authorities have established a maximum of 2 μg/L of OTA in wine. Although the incidence and occurrence of OTA in grapes and wine is highly related to climate conditions, as has been extensively documented, there is no conclusive information on the effects of cultivation systems on the presence of OTA. This study focuses on determining the effect of the trellis system, planting density and cordon height on plant microclimate and thus on Aspergillus spp. contamination and OTA production in Tannat wines in Southern Uruguay. Two experiments were conducted during the 2010–2011 growing season: (1) a strip split plot design with five replicates and two cordon heights (CH) (0.5 m and 1.0 m above the soil) were compared in two planting densities (PD) (0.8 and 1.5 m between plants); (2) a randomised complete block design, vertical shoot positioning (VSP) versus Lyra trellis systems were evaluated. The results suggest that, even the macro- and micro-climate growing conditions play an important part in Aspergillus developing on grapes. Agronomical practices also have an undoubted impact on the risk and control of OTA accumulation in wine.

The Effect of Endozym β-split, a Commercial Enzyme Preparation Used for Aroma Release, on Tannat Wine Glycosides

Fil: Cid, Alicia Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Quimica. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ingenieria. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Quimica; Argentina

Influence of Winemaking Procedure and Grape Variety on the Colour and Composition of Young Red Wines

The influence of winemaking procedure and grape variety on the colour and composition of young red wines was evaluated. For this purpose, Tannat, Syrah and Merlot wines were elaborated in Uruguay in 2011. Traditional maceration (TM), the addition of pectolytic enzymes (ENZ) and cold pre-fermentative maceration before traditional maceration (CPM) were the alternative procedures of winemaking tested. Two batches of grapes (70 kg each) were employed for each winemaking procedure. Tannat wines had the highest colour intensity, red colour (a*), and anthocyanin, proanthocyanidin and alcohol content, and the lowest luminosity (L*) and pH values. CPM increased the colour intensity and total polyphenol, anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin content in Tannat and Merlot wines. Pectolytic additions enhanced colour intensity and red colour and decreased the luminosity in all wines. Meanwhile, enzyme additions enhanced proanthocyanidin content in all cases. Pectolytic enzyme significantly increased the methanol levels of the wines. Nevertheless, the amounts of this compound are far within maximum acceptable limits. Principal component analysis of the data shows significant separation between the wines of each variety, since the colour and composition are largely related to the cultivar and the vintage, despite the effect of the winemaking procedures.

De Novo Synthesis of Benzenoid Compounds by the Yeast Hanseniaspora vineae Increases the Flavor Diversity of Wines.

Benzyl alcohol and other benzenoid-derived metabolites of particular importance in plants confer floral and fruity flavors to wines. Among the volatile aroma components in Vitis vinifera grape varieties, benzyl alcohol is present in its free and glycosylated forms. These compounds are considered to originate from grapes only and not from fermentative processes. We have found increased levels of benzyl alcohol in red Tannat wine compared to that in grape juice, suggesting de novo formation of this metabolite during vinification. In this work, we show that benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol are synthesized de novo in the absence of grape-derived precursors by Hanseniaspora vineae. Levels of benzyl alcohol produced by 11 different H. vineae strains were 20-200 times higher than those measured in fermentations with Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. These results show that H. vineae contributes to flavor diversity by increasing grape variety aroma concentration in a chemically defined medium. Feeding experiments with phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine, p-aminobenzoic acid, and ammonium in an artificial medium were tested to evaluate the effect of these compounds either as precursors or as potential pathway regulators for the formation of benzenoid-derived aromas. Genomic analysis shows that the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL) pathways, used by plants to generate benzyl alcohols from aromatic amino acids, are absent in the H. vineae genome. Consequently, alternative pathways derived from chorismate with mandelate as an intermediate are discussed.

Dynamic characterization of red wine astringency: Case study with Uruguayan Tannat wines

Astringency is one of the most important sensory characteristics of red wine. It involves several mouth-feel sensations, which have been commonly used to describe red wines. However, the dynamics of astringency sensations have not been previously studied. In this context, the aim of the present work was to obtain a dynamic description of the astringency of red wines. Seven commercial Uruguayan Tannat wines were evaluated in triplicate by a panel of 9 trained assessors. They were asked to describe the astringency of the wines during 40s in a Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS) task comprising a list of 8 terms: ‘dry’, ‘fine emery’, ‘harsh’, ‘mouthcoating’, ‘puckery’, ‘rough’, ‘silky’, and ‘velvety’. After completing the TDS task they were asked to rate global astringency intensity using an unstructured scale. The wines significantly differed in their average global astringency intensity. Between two and three terms were significantly dominant to describe the astringency of each of the seven wines and enabled to discriminate samples with different astringency characteristics. Samples differed in the dominance of the terms and the time elapsed until they became dominant. Wines which did not significantly differ in their average astringency rating showed different dynamic astringency profiles, which evidenced that the dynamics of astringency characteristics were not related to global astringency intensity. TDS seems to be an interesting methodological choice to characterize the dynamics of wine astringency and opens new possibilities to better understand this complex sensory characteristic.

Evaluation of Palate Cleansers for Astringency Evaluation of Red Wines

AbstractAstringency has been reported to be strongly time‐dependent and to exhibit buildup on repeated ingestions. A common approach to deal with this phenomenon during astringency evaluation is the use of palate cleansers. The aim of this work was to evaluate palate cleansers for red wine astringency evaluation, considering both reduction of astringency buildup and sample discrimination. Fourteen trained panelists evaluated two sets of four Tannat wine samples using time‐intensity methodology. In the first sample set the same wine was presented four times, while the second one comprised four samples with different added concentrations of added grape seed tannins. Each assessor evaluated both sample sets with five different palate cleansers (still mineral water, plain unsalted crackers, skimmed milk, drinkable plain sweetened yogurt and 2 g/L pectin solution) in triplicate. None of the evaluated palate cleansers could prevent the occurrence of astringency buildup, while sample discrimination ability differed among the five palate cleansers considered.Practical ApplicationsAstringency is one of the most relevant sensory characteristics involved in wine quality and complexity, which makes its evaluation very important for wine industry and wine research. Results from this study provide information for the selection of best practices in astringency evaluation. The fact that none of the evaluated palate cleansers was efficient in preventing astringency buildup over repeated ingestions highlights the importance of limiting the number of wine samples evaluated in a single session and/or considering a predetermined waiting time between samples. Regarding sample discrimination, drinkable plain sweetened yogurt, followed by a water rinse, provided the best results compared to other usual alternatives, such as water, pectin solutions or plain crackers. In fact, plain crackers, which have been recommended in other studies, showed the lowest discrimination.