Properties Of Wine Research Articles

Cover Image, Volume 97, Issue 1

The cover image, by Rocco Longo et al., is based on the Review Changes in volatile composition and sensory attributes of wines during alcohol content reduction, DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.7757. image

Industrial Applications of Selected JFS Articles

Industrial Applications of Selected <i>JFS</i> Articles

Effects of Extended Grape Ripening With or Without Must and Wine Alcohol Manipulations on Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Sensory Characteristics

This study attempts to clarify the consequences for wine flavour that result from harvesting fruit at different maturities. The grapes were harvested from a single vineyard in Paso Robles, and the samples spanned maturity levels from what would be considered early harvest (about 21 °Brix) to late harvest (about 30 °Brix). The wines made from these grapes were analysed using descriptive analysis to investigate the relationships between fruit maturity and wine sensory attributes. In addition, musts and/or wines were chaptalised and/or fortified or watered back to determine the effect of these manipulations on wine sensory properties. This research showed that the sensory attributes of wines made from grapes at different stages of maturation, from about 20 to 30 °Brix, varied in a systematic fashion. Specifically, the wines made from the grapes with a lower Brix were more sour and had more fresh vegetative flavours, while the wines made from the fruit with a high Brix were more hot and bitter and in some cases had more dark fruit flavours and sweetness. Fortifying wines made from lower Brix musts changed the perceptions of the wine sensory profiles more than chaptalising the musts. On the other hand, adding water to higher °Brix musts to mimic 24 °Brix musts resulted in wines with similar sensory profiles to wines made from grapes picked at a sugar content of close to 24 °Brix. This study shows that wine sensory attributes differ more when grapes are picked early in ripening rather than after 24 °Brix.

The consumer trail: Applying best-worst scaling to classical wine attributes

The main goal of this study is to gain a better understanding of the buying behavior of wine consumers in Portugal. More specifically, the study identifies extrinsic attributes that influence wine purchase choices in a retail store, crossing-tabulating the results with six classification variables. The authors use the best-worst scaling method with eighteen reference attributes for designing, implementing, and analyzing responses to a survey of 250 wine buyers. Results reveal that the most significant reference attribute is whether consumers had tasted the wine previously. These findings for Portugal are in accordance with what has been observed in other Western countries. The second most important attribute, region of origin, is also commonly identified in the literature as a significant attribute. The classification variables of age and gender help to explain the behavior of the majority attributes. Using a latent class analysis, the authors obtained a set of three segments that are representative of Portuguese wine consumers. The findings presented here have important implications for wineries and wine distributors in their efforts to know their consumers better in an off-premise context and thereby to maximize profit.

Semiparametric versus parametric hedonic wine price models: an empirical investigation

ABSTRACTIn this article, we conduct formal statistical tests to compare a semiparametric hedonic wine price model with its parametric counterpart using a Canadian data set. The relevant test results turn out to be overwhelmingly in favour of the semiparametric specification. The estimated semiparametric model also provides clear evidence of nonlinearity between wine prices and quality when other wine attributes are controlled for.

Effect of Oak Chips on Evolution of Phenolic Compounds and Color Attributes of Bog Bilberry Syrup Wine During Bottle-Aging.

This study investigated the evolution of phenolic compounds of bog bilberry syrup wine during a bottle-aging process, and further estimated the oak chip treatment on the wine color alteration. The wine was macerated with oak chips (2 or 5 g/L under light or medium toasting level) for 20 d and then bottle-aged for 6 mo. Results showed that the oak chip treatment significantly increased the content of phenolic compounds and enhanced the copigmented anthocyanin level before aging. It also resulted in an increase on a* and C* but a decrease on L* , b* , and H* of the wine. During aging process, a content decrease of total phenol and antioxidant capacity of the wine was observed. Phenolic acids, flavonol glycosides, and anthocyanins reduced the content, whereas flavonol increased the content. Free and copigmented anthocyanin levels decreased, whereas polymerized anthocyanins level increased. This process caused an increase on L* , b* , and H* , but a decrease on a* and C* . The oak chip treatment delayed the wine color change and its effect was mainly depended on the addition amount. Partial least square regression revealed that flavonol glycosides, phenolic acids, and anthocyanins displayed a positive correlation with L* , b* , and H* , but a negative correlation with a* and C* . Quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, myricetin-3-O-galactoside, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin exerted a more important effect on the color alteration in wine.

Distance Decay in the Willingness to Pay for Wine: Disentangling Local and Organic Attributes

This paper investigates how the residents of a French wine-producing region value the attributes of wine. We elicit the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for organic/non-organic and local/non-local wines with increasing levels of information on the impact of agricultural practices at both global and local scales. The analysis shows that there is a significant organic premium associated with both local and non-local wines. This organic premium significantly increases with information and significantly decreases with the distance between the consumer’s home and the vineyard. Based on the econometric predictions of the WTP, we show that a per-unit tax on non-organic wines or a standard imposing organic practices increases welfare through the internalization of the attributes revealed by the experiment.

Ready to Embrace Genetically Modified Wines? The Role of Knowledge Exposure and Intrinsic Wine Attributes

This study examines whether knowledge exposure and supreme wine attributes such as appearance, aroma, taste, and hangover avoidance influence consumers’ quality evaluation and purchase intentions of genetically modified (GM) wines. We conducted two experimental studies in two different settings involving a total of 321 subjects. Results indicate that educating consumers with knowledge on GM wines efficiently reduces the fear caused by GM identity. Importantly, the desirable organoleptic and functional performances of GM wines not only reduce consumers’ concerns with GM products but also enable GM wines to surpass conventional options that are less salient in these performances. Specifically, consumers would choose a GM wine over traditional options if the GM wine has a superior appearance and the ability to eliminate a hangover. Furthermore, consumers express equal acceptance of GM wines and traditional counterparts when there are no differences in aroma and taste. This research delivers significant implications for wine marketing through examining a timely and controversial subject matter.

Changes in volatile composition and sensory attributes of wines during alcohol content reduction.

A desirable sensory profile is a major consumer driver for wine acceptability and should be considered during the production of reduced-alcohol wines. Although various viticultural practices and microbiological approaches show promising results, separation technologies such as membrane filtration, in particular reverse osmosis and evaporative perstraction, in addition to vacuum distillation, represent the most common commercial methods used to produce reduced-alcohol wine. However, ethanol removal from wine can result in a significant loss of volatile compounds such as esters (ethyl octanoate, ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate) that contribute positively to the overall perceived aroma. These losses can potentially reduce the acceptability of the wine to consumers and decrease their willingness to purchase wines that have had their alcohol level reduced. The change in aroma as a result of the ethanol removal processes is influenced by a number of factors: the type of alcohol reduction process; the chemical-physical properties (volatility, hydrophobicity, steric hindrance) of the aroma compounds; the retention properties of the wine non-volatile matrix; and the ethanol level. This review identifies and summarises possible deleterious influences of the dealcoholisation process and describes best practice strategies to maintain the original wine composition. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Influence of polysaccharides on the taste and mouthfeel of white wine

Background and Aims Mouthfeel attributes of white wine contribute to its style and therefore to the context in which it is most appropriately consumed. The effect of polysaccharides on the mouthfeel of white wine and their interaction with pH, ethanol and phenolic substances was determined. Methods and Results White wine polysaccharides and polysaccharide fractions, defined by molecular mass and composition, were added to either white or model white wine of variable pH and concentration of alcohol and phenolic substances to assess their effect on white wine taste and mouthfeel. A higher concentration of polysaccharides reduced perceived palate hotness. The effect of polysaccharides on mouthfeel and taste was independent of the concentration of phenolic substances. A medium molecular mass polysaccharide fraction of 13–93 kDa, containing arabinogalactan protein and mannoprotein reduced palate hotness and increased viscosity at higher pH. Conclusions Polysaccharides had a relatively small effect on mouthfeel and taste compared with the effect of wine pH and ethanol. Medium molecular mass polysaccharides were mostly responsible for the difference in perceived hotness and viscosity. Significance of the Study Palate hotness is a negative characteristic in white table wines. Winemaking practices that increase the concentration of arabinogalactan protein and low molecular mass mannoprotein could assist in masking palate hotness in white wine. Management of pH and alcohol can also be used to significantly influence the taste and mouthfeel in white wine.

Exploring environmental consciousness and consumer preferences for organic wines without sulfites

In recent years, owing to increasing interest in health in relation for food quality, consumer preference for organic products has gradually been moving from an elitist behavior to quite widespread consumption. This trend is also apparent for the wine industry, which has gradually been adopting organic production methods. Motivated by the increasing importance of consumer health protection, this paper analyzes consumer interest in buying organic wines with no additives, evaluating whether and to what extent consumers are willing to pay a higher price for organic wine with no added sulfites. With the aim to gain detailed knowledge about issues related to consumer health an ordered logit model was used to investigate the probability of achieving a premium prices as a function of the socioeconomic characteristics of consumers and the product attributes. Results indicate that environmental consciousness, and curiosity lead consumers to pay a higher price for these wines while naturalness and designation of origin are the attributes of organic wines positively related to the probability of paying a premium price for wine with no added sulfites. The results also show that inappropriate information discourage consumers from paying a price differential for wine without sulfites. The scientific value and originality of the paper include consumer perception of the health benefits of organic wines without additives. The outcomes confirm that consumers who are sensitive to environmental and quality issues are willing to pay a premium for quality food, and that wider information about wine with no added sulfites is required for effective price differentiation. Being Sulfite addition to food is an issue of increasing relevance in the agro-food sector, this study analyzes for the first time the consumer preference for organic wines by considering how the presence of additives in wine affect the purchasing behavior of consumers.

Dissipation of Fungicide Residues during Winemaking and Their Effects on Fermentation and the Volatile Composition of Wines.

The effects of four fungicides commonly used for the control of fungal diseases in vines and grapes in the course of winemaking were tested. The concentration of fungicide residues was monitored throughout the process to establish their kinetics of dissipation. In all cases the percentages of dissipation were >68%, which shows the detoxificant effect of the winemaking process. On the other hand, the effect of the fungicide residues on the aroma composition of Tempranillo red wines was tested. To evaluate possible modifications on the aroma profile of wines, seven odorant series (ripe fruits, fresh fruits, lactic, floral, spicy, vinous, and herbaceous) were built from the odor activity values (OAVs) obtained for each volatile compound. Ripe fruits and fresh fruits were the major aromatic attributes in all Tempranillo red wines. These two odorant series registered the highest variations in their total OAVs with respect to the control wine, especially with the application of boscalid + kresoxim-methyl into vines, leading to a decrease in the ripe fruit and fresh fruit nuances of the resulting wines. Moreover, when the effect of these fungicides on the aroma of Tempranillo red wines was compared throughout two years (2012 and 2013), wines elaborated from grapes treated in the field with boscalid + kresoxim-methyl in 2013 displayed the highest variation in aroma profile with respect to control wine.

Isolation and characterization of lactic acid bacteria from fresh Chinese traditional rice wines using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are a prevalent bacterial group in rice wine maturation that contributes to flavor, texture, and nutritive value. To better understand LAB diversity in rice wines, 6 rice wine varieties from different regions in China were investigated using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Lactobacillus plantarum, L. namurensis, and Pediococcus acidilactici were identified using DGGE. Forty nine isolates were screened using a culture-dependent method. Prominent taxa were identified as Enterococcus sp., Lactobacillus delbrueckii, L. rhamnosus, L. plantarum, and Pediococcus acidilactici. Isolates were grouped and used for fermentation of rice wines. Greater numbers of species involved in fermentation lead to better sensory attributes of wine. DGGE analysis combined with a culture-dependent method can be a tool for investigation of the bacterial compositions of fermented rice wines.

Sensory acceptance drivers of pre-fermentation dehydration and submerged cap red wines produced from Vitis labrusca hybrid grapes

Abstract The pre-fermentation dehydration (PD) and submerged cap (SC) treatments were evaluated as alternative winemaking for Brazilian red table wines produced from Vitis labrusca cultivar Bordo and hybrid cultivars Isabel, BRS Carmem and BRS Violeta. The influence of these treatments on the wine chemical profile and their contribution to sensory acceptance drivers has been evaluated. The pre-drying process tended to increase the total phenolic content (up to 1677 mg L−1 of gallic acid) and the dry extract of the wines (up to 47.89 g L−1), considering them as full-bodied and more attractive to consumers. The univariate approach revealed slight influence of the alternative winemaking treatments on wine composition and sensory acceptance. However, PCA was successfully applied and showed that the positive effects of the pre-drying treatment on Bordo and BRS Carmem body acceptance, which was driven by acidity, dry extract and phenolic compounds. The results also suggested that submerged cap positively influenced almost all the sensory attributes of Isabel and BRS Violeta wines, which were driven by acidity and color features. The management of these winemaking processes needs to be assessed, since provides an intense acceptance for key sensory attributes considered as acceptance drivers for a target group of consumers.

Accentuated Cut Edges (ACE): Effects of Skin Fragmentation on the Composition and Sensory Attributes of Pinot noir Wines

The phenolic composition, aroma, and sensory profiles were evaluated for Pinot noir wines made using four different maceration techniques that modified the floating pomace cap during fermentation: 1) daily plunging; 2) reduced skin particle size (accentuated cut edges, ACE); 3) submerged cap; and 4) ACE plus submerged cap. Throughout vinification, wines were analyzed using rapid analytical techniques to assess the following phenolic attributes: anthocyanin, tannin, nonbleachable pigments, color density, and hue. At six months bottle age (230 days postinoculation), sensory and aroma analyses were conducted on the finished wines. ACE macerated wines were found to have the highest proportion of red color, tannin, nonbleachable pigments, fruit and floral aromas, bitterness, and astringency. Submerging the pomace cap resulted in a lower concentration of phenolic components when compared to ACE wines, but resulted in a significantly higher phenolic content and dark cherry aromas and flavor when compared to the control wine. These findings suggest that the employment of either maceration technique has the potential to make a considerable difference to the wine style produced from a given parcel of fruit and may provide an opportunity to press wines earlier in the fermentation. Linear regression analyses were conducted to compare descriptive wine parameters with instrumental phenolic measurements and demonstrated several strong correlations: red color appearance was correlated with both color density (r2 = 0.95) and nonbleachable pigment (r2 = 0.95); dark fruit flavor was correlated with both color density (r2 = 0.85) and nonbleachable pigment (r2 = 0.85); and astringency was correlated with both tannin (r2 = 0.97) and nonbleachable pigment (r2 = 0.87), demonstrating that techniques of rapid chemical analysis were able to provide valuable insights into the sensory properties of the wine and may become useful tools for monitoring the development of the wine during vinification. While submerged cap vinification also increased the tannin and nonbleachable pigment profiles of the wine, ACE maceration was found to be significantly more effective and is likely to be more readily adapted for application in commercial wineries.

Consumer sorting and hedonic valuation of wine attributes: exploiting data from a field experiment

AbstractThis article uses a novel experimental approach to measure consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for wine attributes. We invited customers of a local supermarket who had selected a bottle of wine to purchase to participate in a valuation experiment. Integrating their original wine choice into the experiment, each participant evaluated six alternative wines, generating a rich set of data on willingness to pay and consumer characteristics. The data from the experiment allow us to compare standard shelf price‐based wine attribute valuation estimates with estimates using WTP data and an increasing amount of information about individual consumers. The full model employs individual fixed effects to estimate WTP parameters without bias from consumer sorting or supply side influences. Our WTP estimates for wine attributes differ markedly from previous attribute value estimates. Consumers in our sample display clear and stable preferences for wine varieties, but less clear preferences for appellations. Our results suggest caution is needed in using market prices to estimate parameters of the consumer valuation function for product attributes.

Exploring the effect of elevated storage temperature on wine composition

Temperature can play a significant role in the development of wine at many stages during its lifetime. Elevated temperature, however, poses a significant risk to the sensory attributes of wine and its resultant shelf-life. Wines often experience difficult environmental conditions during transport and storage, and this can directly impact on the colour, aroma and mouthfeel of the wine. Higher and/or fluctuating temperature can essentially accelerate the ageing process. Unfortunately, these changes often go unnoticed until the wine reaches the consumer. Numerous studies have investigated the impact of elevated temperature on wines, with noticeable effect, such as reduction of sulfur dioxide, colour development (especially browning of white wines) and changes in the profile of volatile compounds, being common. Unfortunately, most of these studies tend to have a narrow scope and tend to focus only on a limited number of wine types or on specific compounds. The chemistry changes involved in heat-affected red wines are generally more complex than they are in white wines, but it is arguable that white wines are more sensitive to the effect of heat and therefore require the same or a greater level of research consideration with respect to temperature effects. The focus of this review is to highlight the common effects that different wine types and styles can experience when subjected to elevated storage temperature that are considered to be beyond the limits that most winemakers and consumers would accept. This review will also summarise the fundamental chemical kinetics that play a significant role in wine development at elevated temperature.

Skin Particle Size Affects the Phenolic Attributes of Pinot noir Wine: Proof of Concept

Modifying phenolic composition can improve the quality of Pinot noir wines and overcome common challenges associated with deficiencies in color, tannin, and aging potential. During fermentation, extraction of desirable components from the skin takes place primarily through the inner skin surface of the berry and from broken skin edges. Ostensibly, the extraction of phenolic compounds located in the skin may be enhanced by reducing the skin particle size. Theoretical analysis indicated that moderate fragmentation substantially decreased the surface area to perimeter ratio of grape skins. Three experiments showed that cutting grape skins into smaller fragments facilitated egress of color and tannin from the skin into the wine matrix. In each case, the treatment in which grapes were cut was compared with a crushed berry control made using conventional methods. Homogenization of berry tissues increased tannin concentration by 6-fold, stable pigment concentration by 45%, wine color density by 25%, and blue-purple coloration by 20% in wines at six months bottle age. Undifferentiated cutting of grapes increased tannin by 6.5-fold, stable pigment concentration by 70%, wine color density by 60%, and blue-purple coloration by 10%. A cutting technique that reduced grape skins to 6% of their original size without damaging the seeds produced wines that had 3-fold higher tannin concentration, 95% higher stable pigment concentration, 50% greater wine color density, and 20% increase in blue-purple coloration. The effects of reducing skin particle size on phenolic extraction were found to be much greater than those achieved using pectolytic enzymes. This innovative skin fragmentation technique has the potential to increase skin-derived red wine phenolics and is a viable alternative to maceration techniques currently used during winemaking.

The country-brand in the wine industry: how important is variety specialization?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze whether or not the reputation of a region/country in the international wine market depends on a region/country’s efforts to specialize in a specific grape variety. Design/methodology/approach Data on 19,959 bottles of wine corresponding to six vintages across ten wine producing regions worldwide are used to estimate a hedonic price model that measures consumer valuations of the different wine attributes. Findings The results of this study show that although variety specialization has successfully underpinned the reputation of some New World regions, such as the Napa Valley (with its Cabernet Sauvignon) or Oregon (with its Pinot Noir); in others, such as Australia (with its Shiraz), this has not been successful. Practical implications Over the last ten years, the exponential growth of Australian bulk wine exports has seriously harmed the reputation of Australian wine. With respect to the Napa Valley wines, price discount received by Australian wines increases between the 1997 and 2007 vintage from 33 to 61 percent. Thus, in order to successfully build a collective reputation of an entrant (New World) country, an institutional framework that mediates differences of interest between the large and small vineyards and, above all, that regulates the free-rider problem in the wine market is required. Originality/value This paper empirically illustrates how cooperative (and non-cooperative) behavior between firms can help to build (and to destroy) collective reputation of wines that come from the same region or country.

Unravelling the geometry of data matrices: effects of water stress regimes on winemaking.

A new method is proposed for unravelling the patterns between a set of experiments and the features that characterize those experiments. The aims are to extract these patterns in the form of a coupling between the rows and columns of the corresponding data matrix and to use this geometry as a support for model testing. These aims are reached through two key steps, namely application of an iterative geometric approach to couple the metric spaces associated with the rows and columns, and use of statistical physics to generate matrices that mimic the original data while maintaining their inherent structure, thereby providing the basis for hypothesis testing and statistical inference. The power of this new method is illustrated on the study of the impact of water stress conditions on the attributes of 'Cabernet Sauvignon' Grapes, Juice, Wine and Bottled Wine from two vintages. The first step, named data mechanics, de-convolutes the intrinsic effects of grape berries and wine attributes due to the experimental irrigation conditions from the extrinsic effects of the environment. The second step provides an analysis of the associations of some attributes of the bottled wine with characteristics of either the matured grape berries or the resulting juice, thereby identifying statistically significant associations between the juice pH, yeast assimilable nitrogen, and sugar content and the bottled wine alcohol level.