IVAS 2022 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 IVAS 9 IVAS 2022 9 A first look at the aromatic profile of “Monferace” wines

A first look at the aromatic profile of “Monferace” wines

Abstract

Grignolino, is a native Piedmont grape variety which well represents the historical and
enological identity of Monferrato, a territory between Asti and Casale Monferrato, included in the World Heritage List designated by UNESCO (1). Numerous documents trace its cultivation back to the early Middle Age. Until the mid-1900s Grignolino was considered a fine wine valued as much as Barolo and Barbaresco for its quality, finesse, and unique characteristics (2). Today the young and “easy” version of this wine is the best known and appreciated for a pale ruby red color with tints that rapidly tend to orange, high acidity, with distinct tannins. However, some local wine producers, the Monferace association, in order to revive the ancient glories of Grignolino, have decided to produce an aged version of this wine. For this purpose, they have drawn up production guidelines that require at least 40 months of ageing, 24 of which in oak barrels.
In order to characterize Monferace, for the first time, from an aromatic point of view, 2012 (four years of ageing) and 2015 (two years of ageing) wines were analyzed. Their aromatic composition was evaluated using SPE-GC-MS methods and sensory analysis (3). The most important volatile compounds identified in these wines belong to the class of lactones, hydroxybenzaldehydes, phenols, short and medium chain fatty acids and their ethyl esters. Moreover, traces of some isoprenoid compounds were detected. Results highlighted a composite and rich aromatic profile, typical of wines characterized by great structure and complexity. From an olfactory point of view Monferace differs significantly from the more
widespread, and not aged, Grignolino wines. The former shows important notes of wood, boisée, floral, cherry, berries, caramel and spice, the latter is characterized by notes of violet, rose, raspberry, pepper, currant, cherry, resinous and vegetable. Statistical analysis showed a good correlation between the main olfactory descriptors identified in the wines and key aroma compounds measured in the same samples.

References

1) UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato. Available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1390/
2) Desana, P. Barbesino and Grignolino wines in the grape-wine history of Monferrato. Studying 12th century documents. 1980, Vignevini. 7(12) p. 15-17.
3) Petrozziello, M., Bonello, F., Asproudi, A., Nardi, T., Tsolakis, C., Bosso, A., Martino, V. D., Fugaro, M., & Mazzei, R. A. (2020). Differences in xylovolatiles composition between chips or barrel aged wines: OENO One, 54(3), 513–522. https://doi.org/10.20870/oeno-one.2020.54.3.2923

DOI:

Publication date: June 24, 2022

Issue: IVAS 2022

Type: Poster

Authors

Petrozziello Maurizio1, Asproudi Andriani1, Bonello Frederica1, Cravero Maria Carla1, Gianotti Silvia2 and Ronco Mario2

1CREA, Research Centre for Viticulture and Enology
2Associazione Monferace, Castello di Ponzano Monferrato

Contact the author

Keywords

Grignolino, wood ageing, aromatic compounds, GC-MS, sensory analysis.

Tags

IVAS 2022 | IVES Conference Series

Citation

Related articles…

Impact of soil-applied and foliar-applied nitrogen on grape and wine composition

Foliar application of urea may be an efficient way to alter grape and wine composition without increasing vine vigor. However, we know little about the impact of this practice on phenolic compounds and yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN). Adequate YAN is required for an efficient and complete fermentation, while phenolics are particularly important for the sensory profile of red wines. The goal of this study is to test the impact of foliar urea application at veraison, compared to the traditional soil-applied nitrogen fertilization early in the season, on Syrah berry and wine composition in field conditions.

Read More

Vineyard innovative tools based on the integration of earth observation services and in-field sensors (VitiGEOSS project)

Climate change is having an unprecedented impact on the wine industry, which is one of the major agricultural sectors around the world. Global warming, combined with the variation in rainfall patterns and the increase in frequency of extreme weather events, is significantly influencing vine physiology and exposing, more frequently, plants to severe biotic and abiotic stresses. This represents a challenge for viticulturists who need to take complex decisions to adjust vineyard management and achieve oenological goals.

Read More

Impact of pedoclimatical conditions on the precocity potential of vineyards in the canton of Geneva

Terroir studies are common nowadays but few have used precise pedoclimatic measures in order to evaluate the precocity potential. The objectives of this work were (i) to assess the effect of main terroir parameters (soil, climate and topography) influencing the phenological development of the vine, and (ii) to evaluate a geostatistic approach by using a high number of already existing plots (higher variability) to analyze the terroir parameters’ impact.

Read More

Cordon height and deficit irrigation practices interact to affect yield and fruit quality of Cabernet Sauvignon and petite Sirah grown in a hot climate

Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah are the top red wine cultivars in CA, however, the hot climate in Fresno is not ideal for red Vitis Vinifera, particularly for berry color development. Mechanical pruning and irrigation were studied previously to significantly affect grapevine yield performance and berry quality. But there is lack of studies on cordon height and irrigation on mechanical pruned vineyard system.

Read More

Revisiting esters hydrolysis in young white wines

Esters play an essential role in the young white wines’ fruity expression, particularly the groups of ethyl esters of fatty acids (EEFAs) and higher alcohol acetates (HAAs) [1]. However, generally, these groups of esters decrease relatively fast during the first two years of ageing [1, 2].

Read More