WAC 2022 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 WAC 9 WAC 2022 9 1 - WAC - Oral presentations 9 Evolution of chemical pattern related to Valpolicella aroma ‘terroir’ during bottle aging

Evolution of chemical pattern related to Valpolicella aroma ‘terroir’ during bottle aging

Abstract

Valpolicella is a famous Italian wine-producing region. Wines produced in its different sub-regions are believed to be aromatically different, as confirmed by recent studies in our laboratory. Aging is a very common practice in Valpolicella and it is required by the appellation regulation for periods up to four years require wines. The aim of this study was to investigate the evolution, during aging, of volatile chemical composition of Valpolicella wines obtained from grapes harvested in different sub-regions during different vintages.

Corvina and Corvinone grapes, the two main varieties of Valpolicella appellation, were harvested from five different vineyard blocks located in two sub-regions within Valpolicella during three consecutive vintages (2017-2019). Winemaking was performed under standardized conditions. An accelerated aging protocol was applied placing wines at 16°C and 40 °C for 30 days in epoxy resin sealed vials. Free volatile compounds as well as those obtained through hydrolysis of glycosidic precursors were analysed with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) coupled with SPE and SPME extractions.

Application of multivariate data analysis techniques to young wines allowed to identify volatile chemical patterns representing the unique aroma chemical signature of the geographical origin of each wine, regardless of vintages. In the case of aged wines, aroma signatures of individual geographical origin were preserved to a good extent after aging. In the case of Corvina, ageing slightly reduced the diversity associated with vineyard signature, conversely in Corvinone it seemed to have enhanced it. Terpenes were at the same times among the main drivers of vineyard signatures of both young and aged wines but also among the compounds most affected by ageing treatments. Highly relevant correlations were found between the decrease of some of the terpenes and the occurrence or increase of others. These transformations involve odor- active compounds with implications for floral and balsamic attributes. Despite the deep changes occurring during aging, aged wines retained an aroma chemical signature that was characteristic of their geographical origin.

DOI:

Publication date: June 9, 2022

Issue: WAC 2022

Type: Article

Authors

Giovanni Luzzini, Davide, Slaghenaufi, Maurizio, Ugliano

Presenting author

Giovanni Luzzini – Università di Verona

Università di Verona | Università di Verona

Contact the author

Keywords

 Red wine aroma – Terroir – Chemical signature of geographic identity – Valpolicella – Aging

Tags

IVES Conference Series | WAC 2022

Citation

Related articles…

Impact of press fractioning on current and phenolic compositions of Pinot noir and Pinot meunier wines

In the Champagne’s region, a complete press cycle is a series of pressure increases (squeezes) and decreases (returns). After alcoholic fermentation, the two wines (the “cuvee” and the “tailles”) obtained from grape juice fractions exhibit strong differences for numerous characteristics. Nevertheless, there is no study of the impact of the press cycle, followed after each pressure increase (22-28 steps), on wine colour, current analyses and phenolic composition. So, the aim of this study (vintage 2020) was to investigate the composition changes of Pinot noir and Pinot meunier wines, produced from 22-28 grape juices isolated for each complete pressing cycle.

Read More

Exploring the effect of ripening rates on the composition of aroma and phenolic compounds in Cabernet-Sauvignon wines

The study of cultural practices to delay ripening and the characterization of their effect on wine composition is important in the mitigation of accelerated ripening caused by higher temperatures

Read More

The impact of global warming on Ontario’s icewine industry

Ontario’s wine regions lie at the climatic margins of commercial viticulture owing to their cold winters and short cool growing season. The gradual warming of northern latitudes projected under a human-induced climate change scenario could bring mixed benefits to these wine regions.

Read More

Characterizing the effects of nitrogen on grapevines with different scion/rootstock combinations: agronomic, metabolomic and transcriptomic approaches

Most vineyards are grafted and include a variety (Vitis vinifera) grafted over a wild Vitis rootstock (hybrids of V. berlandieri, riparia and rupestris). Grape berry quality at harvest depends on a subtle balance between acidity and the concentrations of sugars, polyphenols and precursors of aroma compounds. The mechanisms controlling the balance of sugars/acids/polyphenols are influenced by the abiotic environment, in particular nitrogen supply, and interact with the genotypes of both the scion variety and the rootstock. Previous work suggests that some of the effects of water stress are in fact linked to a nitrogen deficiency driven indirectly by the reduction of water absorption.

Read More

Mgaloblishvili Rpv29 and Rpv31 loci reveal new insights on downy mildew resistance sources in Vitis vinifera

Downy mildew, a disease caused by Plasmopara viticola (Berk. et Curt.) Berl. and De Toni, is one of the strongest threats to grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) production. Recently, sources of resistance to downy mildew were identified among Caucasian germplasm. Among them, the Georgian variety Mgaloblishvili revealed a unique resistance mechanism. A genome wide association study (GWAS) allowed the identification of the genetic bases of Mgaloblishvili resistance, the loci Rpv29, Rpv30 and Rpv31. To dissect the three resistance loci, Mgaloblishvili genome was sequenced using PacBio HiFi reads and assembled.

Read More