terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 OENOLOGICAL TANNINS FOR PREVENTING THE LIGHT-STRUCK TASTE IN WHITE AND ROSÉ WINES

OENOLOGICAL TANNINS FOR PREVENTING THE LIGHT-STRUCK TASTE IN WHITE AND ROSÉ WINES

Abstract

The light exposure of wine can be detrimental as a relevant loss of aromas takes place [1] and light-induced reactions can occur. The latter involves riboflavin (RF), a photosensitive compound, that is fully reduced by acquiring two electrons. When the electron-donor is methionine, the light-struck taste (LST) can appear leading to cooked cabbage, onion and garlic odours-like [2]. The use of oenological tannins can limit the appearance of LST in both model wine [3] and white wine [4]. This research aimed to evaluate the impact of certain oenological tannins, selected in a previous study as the most effective against LST [5], in both white and rosé wines.
Six white wines and two rosé wines (5 still and 3 sparkling wines) produced in different vintages, were added with grape seed, tea and tara tannins (40 mg/L) at bottling or disgorgement. The wines were stored in the dark until the light exposure that was carried out under controlled condition [3] at bottling, and after 4 and 9 months of storage. Tannin-free wine samples were considered at each sampling point as control. The total flavonoids (FLVs), the color index (at 420 nm or 520 nm) and the content of RF were determined. The sensory analysis was also performed.
As expected, the addition of oenological tannins led to an increase of FLVs reaching the highest concentrations in the presence of tara tannins followed by tea tannins; a comparable content of FLVs was ob-served in control wines and those added with grape seed tannin. Only slight color index changes were found in the wines added with tannins. The light exposure did not affect neither FLVs nor the color index. In the samples stored in the dark, the content of RF ranged from about 50 μg/L (in 2 white sparkling wine samples) up to 130 μg/L that decreased when the wines were kept under light. The perception of bitterness and astringency was evident in particular with tara and grape seed tannins getting stronger especially in the 2 low-RF wine samples after the light exposure. A decrease of the overall aromatic profile was evidenced after the light exposure and LST was less perceived in the presence of tea tannins that seemed to limit aroma loss.
This study evidenced the impact of the wine on the light-induced fault that can have different wine-dependent facets and it seems of higher intensity in younger wines. Among the oenological tannins tasted, tea tannin was the most effective against LST and, in some cases, also in limiting the aroma decay.

 

1. Carlin S., Mattivi F., Durantini V., Dalledonne S., Arapitsas P. (2022). Flint glass bottles cause white wine aroma identity degradation. PNAS, 119, e2121940119 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2121940119
2. Fracassetti D., Di Canito A., Bodon R., Messina N., Vigentini I., Foschino R., Tirelli A. (2021). Light-struck taste in white wine: Reaction mechanisms, preventive strategies and future perspectives to preserve wine quality. Trends in Food Science & Technology 112, 547-558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2021.04.013
3. Fracassetti D., Limbo S., Pellegrino L., Tirelli A. (2019). Light-induced reactions of methionine and riboflavin in model wine: Effects of hydrolysable tannins and sulfur dioxide. Food Chemistry, 2019, 298, 124952. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.food-chem.2019.124952
4. Fracassetti D., Limbo S., Messina N., Pellegrino L., Tirelli A. (2021). Light-struck taste in white wine: Protective role of glutathione, sulfur dioxide and hydrolysable tannins. Molecules 26, 5297. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26175297
5. Fracassetti D., Messina N., Saligari A., Tirelli A. (2023). Evaluation of oenological tannins for preventing the light-struck taste. Food Chemistry 404, 134563. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.134563

Acknowledgments The work was supported by European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development [Enofotoshield project; D.d.s. 1 luglio 2019 – n. 9551 , B.U. R.L. Serie Ordinaria n. 27 – 04 luglio 2019].

DOI:

Publication date: February 9, 2024

Issue: OENO Macrowine 2023

Type: Article

Authors

Daniela Fracassetti1,*, Alessio Altomare1, Denis Allieri1, Antonio Tirelli1

1. Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), Universit. degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy

Contact the author*

Keywords

Riboflavin, Light exposure, Wine fault, Storage

Tags

IVES Conference Series | oeno macrowine 2023 | oeno-macrowine

Citation

Related articles…

FUNGAL DIVERSITY AND DYNAMICS IN CHAMPAGNE VINEYARDS: FROM VINE TO WINE

Champagne is a well-known wine region in Northern France with distinct terroirs and three main grape varieties. As for any vineyard, wine quality is highly linked to the microbiological characteristics of the raw materials. However, Champagne grape microbiota, especially its fungal component, has yet to be fully characterized. Our study focused on describing this mycobiota, from vine to small scale model wine, for the two main Champagne grape varieties, Pinot Noir and Meunier, using complementary cultural and omics approaches.
Read More

CHARACTERIZATION OF ENOLOGICAL OAK TANNIN EXTRACTS BY MULTI-ANALYTICAL METHODS APPROACH

Oak tannin extracts are commonly used to improve wine properties. The main polyphenols found in oak wood extracts are ellagitannins¹ that release ellagic acid upon hydrolysis and comprise numerous structures². Moreover, oak tannin extracts contain other compounds giving a complex mixture. Consequently, the official OIV method based on gravimetric analysis of the tannin fraction adsorbed on polyvinylpolypyrrolidone is not sufficient to describe their composition and highlight their chemical diversity.

Read More

A NEW TOOL TO QUANTIFY COMPOUNDS POTENTIALLY INVOLVED IN THE FRUITY AROMA OF RED WINES. DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION TO THE STU-DY OF THE FRUITY CHARACTER OF RED WINES MADE FROM VARIOUS GRAPE VARIETIES

A wide range of olfactory descriptors ranging from fresh and jammy fruit notes to cooked and oxidized fruit notes could describe the fruity aroma of red wines [1]. The fruity character of a wine is mainly related to the grape variety selected, to the terroir and the vinification process applied for its conception. In white wines, some volatile compounds confer directly their aroma to the wine while the question of “key” compound is more complex in red wines. According to many studies performed over the past decades, some fruity ethyl esters are directly involved in the fruity perception of red wines while others, present at subthreshold concentrations, participate indirectly to the fruity expression via perceptive interactions [2].

Read More

EXPLORING RED WINE TYPICITY OF CORBIÈRES: EVALUATION OF THE DEGREE OF IMPACT OF VINIFICATION PROCESS ON THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES OF WINES FROM DIFFERENT TERROIR

It is important nowadays for wine producers to create a product that is an expression of their terroir, a concept including the interaction between a place (topography, climate, soil), the people (tradition, winemaking and viticultural practices) and the resulting product (grape varieties, wines) [1]. Nonetheless, wine’s typicity linked to those terroirs must be easily recognizable by consumers thanks to distinctive sensory characters and composition [2]. Among the compounds of interest, aromatic compounds and polyphenols play an important role in the quality of red wines, by impacting on the odour, color and astringency. To explore the influence of terroir factors, including climate, soil and human practices, on the chemical and sensory profile of wines, red wines from five terroirs of the Corbières appellation were subjected to a general study approach.

Read More

NEW INSIGHTS INTO VOLATILE SULPHUR COMPOUNDS SCALPING ON MICROAGGLOMERATED WINE CLOSURES

The evolution of wine during bottle ageing has been of great interest to ensure consistent quality over time. While the role of wine closures on the amount of oxygen is well-known [1], closures could also play other roles such as the scalping phenomenon of flavour compounds. Flavour scalping has been described as the sorption of flavour compounds by the packaging material, which could result in losses of flavour intensity. It has been reported in the literature that volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) can be scalped on wine closures depending on the type of closure (traditional and agglomerated cork, screw-cap, synthetic [2]).

Read More