WINE AS AN EMOTIONAL AND AESTHETIC OBJECT: IMPACT OF EXPERTISE

During red wine vinification, maceration allows the must, and consequently the wine, to be enriched with several compounds that contribute to the creation of the typical organoleptic characteristics of red wines. Among these, extraction of polyphenols (PPs) during maceration is a major process of enological interest.
The purpose of this study was the evaluate the suitability of a rapid analytical approach based in linear sweep voltammetry to monitor PPs extraction during vinification.

The typicality of a wine, as well as its aromatic identity, are attributes that are highly sought after and requested by the current market. It is therefore of considerable technological interest to investigate the aromatic aspects of specific wines and to identify the odorous substances involved.In this thesis work, the characterization of the aromatic composition of Prosecco wines available on the market with a price range between 7 and 13 euros was carried out. These wines came from three different areas of origin such as Valdobbiadene, Asolo and Treviso.

Lately, rosé wine is rapidly increasing its popularity worldwide. Short-time macerations with the red skin of the grapes cause the partial extraction of anthocyanins, which are responsible for the pinki-sh-salmon hue of rosé wines. However, the low quantity of tannins (antioxidants) and richness in phenolic acids, which can be easily oxidized into yellowish pigments, tend to predispose rosé wines to an undesirable browning. Although the use of SO₂ for the prevention of oxidation is highly extended, this practice is expected to be reduced. Therefore, the search for alternative oenological adjuvants that prevent the oxidation and browning of rosé wines is highly desired.

In the last decades the use of bioestimulants in viticulture have been promoted as alternative to conven- tional pesticides. Moreover, as bioestimulants promote the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in grape berries, several studies had investigated their influence on the accumulation of phenolic com- pounds (Monteiro et al., 2022). However, few studies, so far, are focused on the accumulation of the vo- latile compounds and their impact on the produced wines (Giménez-Bañón et al., 2022; Gomez- Plaza et al., 2012; Ruiz Garcia et al., 2014).
This study was conducted in a single vineyard of white autochthonous grapevine variety Savvatia- no (Vitis vinifera L.) in Muses Valley (Askri, Viotia, Greece). Chitosan (CHT), Abscisic Acid (ABA) and Benzothiadiazole (BTH) were applied.

The gustatory balance of dry wines is centered on three flavors, sourness, bitterness and sweetness. Even if certain compounds were already identified as contributing to sweetness, some taste modifications remain largely unexplained1,2. Some empirical observations combined with sensory analyzes have shown that an increase of wine sweetness occurs during post-fermentation maceration³. This step is a key stage of red winemaking during which the juice is left in contact with the marc, that contains the solid parts of the grape (seeds, skins and sometimes stems). This work aimed to identify a new taste-active compound that contributes to this gain of sweetness.