terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 AGING PATTERNS OF VARIETAL VOLATILE PROFILES OF WHITE WINES: A CASE STUDY ON 18 ITALIAN VARIETAL WHITE WINES

AGING PATTERNS OF VARIETAL VOLATILE PROFILES OF WHITE WINES: A CASE STUDY ON 18 ITALIAN VARIETAL WHITE WINES

Abstract

During wine aging many compositional changes take place. In particular, aroma undergoes dramatic modifications through a wide range of reactions that to date are only partly understood. Italy owns one of the largest ampelographic heritages worldwide, with over three-hundred different varieties. Among these, many white grapes are employed for the production of dry still white wines. Some of these wines are consumed young while others are more prone to aging. For many of these wines, the aging patterns related to volatile composition are still unknown.

An extensive survey was conducted on 18 monovarietal Italian still white wines with the aim of elucidating the behaviours of different volatile compounds during aging. In particular, a range of volatile compounds including terpenes, norisoprenoids, benzenoids and volatile sulfur compounds was investigated. A total of 108 different samples were analysed, including Nosiola, Vermentino, Müller-Thurgau, Greco di Tufo, Garganega, Lugana, Erbaluce di Caluso, Pinot Grigio, Cortese, Arneis, Albana, Pallagrello, Falanghina, Fiano, Ribolla Gialla, Vernaccia, Gewürztraminer, Verdicchio. All wines were adjusted to 30 mg/L of free SO2 and submitted to an accelerated aging protocol involving storage for 30 days 10 °C, 40 °C and 60°C in oxygen-free environment. Volatile compounds were analysed by means a combination of analytical methods based on SPME-GC-MS.

During aging some common trends were observed, among which a decrease in linear terpenes and an increase in bicyclic terpenes, non-megastigmane norisoprenoids and volatile sulfur compounds. From a quantitative point of view, the extent of these transformations varied significantly according to wine type. Besides Gewürztraminer, which was generally rich in terpenes, other wine types such as Vermentino Verdicchio and Lugana showed peculiar terpene patterns, for example accumulation of above-threshold levels of the bicyclic terpene 1,4-cineole. Regarding non-megastigmane norisoprenoids, Falanghina and Vermentino were found to accumulate high levels of TDN and vitispirane, which was not observed in other wines. Greco accumulated during aging the highest amount of DMS, showing an average content above the odor threshold. Müller-Thurgau, Nosiola and Vermentino also showed concentrations of DMS above the odor threshold after aging. In addition, the latter varieties also showed high accumulation of methanethiol.

As most of these patterns were not seen in young wines, this work highlights the important contribution of aging to the expression of aroma characters that are specific to the identity of individual varieties or wine types.

DOI:

Publication date: February 9, 2024

Issue: OENO Macrowine 2023

Type: Article

Authors

Giovanni Luzzini1, Nicole Furlan1, Davide Slagheanufi1, Susana Río Segade2, Paola Piombino3, Giuseppina Paola Parpinello4, Matteo Marangon5, Fulvio Mattivi6,7 Maurizio Piergiovanni6,8, Silvia Carlin7, Maurizio Ugliano1

1. University of Verona, Department of Biotechnology, 37039, San Pietro in Cariano (VR) Italy
2. Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
3. Department of Agricultural Sciences, Division of Vine and Wine Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, 83100 Avellino (AV), Italy
4. Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, 47521 Cesena (FC), Italy
5. Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, 35020 Le-gnaro (PD), Italy
6. Center Agriculture Food Environment (C3A), University of Trento, 38098, San Michele all’Adige (TN) Italy
7. Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 38098, San Michele all’Adige (TN) Italy
8. Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability (SCVSA), 43124, Parma (PR), Italy

Contact the author*

Keywords

Volatile compounds, white wine, Aging pattern, Varietal typicality

Tags

IVES Conference Series | oeno macrowine 2023 | oeno-macrowine

Citation

Related articles…

Metabolomics for grape and wine research: exploring the contributions of amino acids to wine flavour

A critical aspect of wine quality is the overall expression of wine flavour, which is formed by the interplay of volatile aroma compounds, their precursors, and taste and matrix components.
Grapes directly contribute to wine only a small number of potent aroma compounds, and the unique
sensory attributes and perceived quality of a wine result from combining 100s of metabolites of grapes, yeast and bacteria, and oak wood.

Read More

EFFECTS OF HYDROXYTYROSOL ON THE CHEMICAL PROFILE AND SENSORY ATTRIBUTES OF A RED TUSCAN WINE

The chemical profile and sensory attributes were studied in Borrigiano IGT Toscana wine (Italy), a blend of Sangiovese 85% and Cabernet Sauvignon 15% grapes harvested in September 2020, where 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethanol (hydroxytyrosol, HT, [1]) was added to a 750-ml wine bottle in 3 different amounts (30, 60, 120 mg) and compared with the control (no HT addition). The study aimed to evaluate whether Polyphenol-HT1®, a high purity HT (>99%) produced by Nova Mentis using biotechnology, could be used as a supplement to sulfites and how it would impact the sensory and chemical profile of this wine [2]. Each sample was prepared in triplicate.

Read More

CHARACTERISTIC EXTRACTION OF THE PHENOL COMPOUNDS IN KOSHU (VITIS VINIFERA CV.) WINE DURING THE MACERATION

Koshu is one of the indigenous grape variety that has been grown in Japan for more than one thousand years. Recent research showed that it has 70% of Vitis vinifera genes. In 2010, the Koshu variety was included in ‘International List of Vine and Varieties and their Synonyms’ managed by the ‘International Organisation of Vine and Wine’ and has further fueled its popularity in Japan. It is the most cultivated variety for winemaking in Japan.
Koshu berries have light purple skins. The variety is mainly used to produce white wines such as an aromatic wine and a wine produced by sur lie method although various styles are produced.

Read More

ENRICHMENT OF THE OENOLOGICAL MALDI-TOF/MS PROTEIN SPECTRA DATABASE FOR RELIABLE OENOLOGICAL YEAST AND BACTERIA IDENTIFICATION

The Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization–Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technology is commonly used in food and medical sector to identify yeast or bacteria species isolated from a nutritive culture media. Since a decade, brewery and oenology industries have been attracted to this method which combines fast analysis times, reliability and low cost of analysis. Briefly, this method is based on the comparison of the MALDI-TOF/MS protein spectra of an isolated colony of yeast or bacteria with those contain in a manufacturer’s reference protein spectra database. Initiated in 2015, the creation of the first oenological mass spectra database has proved to be essential for increase quality of species identification.

Read More

PHOTO OXIDATION OF LUGANA WINES: INFLUENCE OF YEASTS AND RESIDUAL NITROGEN ON VSCS PROFILE

Lugana wines are made from Turbiana grapes. In recent times, many white and rosé wines are bottled and stored in flint glass bottles because of commercial appeal. However, this practice could worsen the aroma profile of the wine, especially as regards the development of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs). This study aims to investigate the consequences of exposure to light in flint bottles on VSCs profile of Lugana wines fermented with two different yeasts and with different post-fermentation residual nitrogen.

Read More