terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 SENSORY CHARACTERIZATION OF COGNAC EAUX-DE-VIE AGED IN BARRELS REPRESENTING DIFFERENT TOASTING PROCESS

SENSORY CHARACTERIZATION OF COGNAC EAUX-DE-VIE AGED IN BARRELS REPRESENTING DIFFERENT TOASTING PROCESS

Abstract

Cognac is an outstanding french wine spirit appreciated around the world and produced exclusively in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, and more precisely in the Cognac area. According to AOC regulations (Appellation D’origine Controlée), the spirit required at least 2 years of continuous ageing in oak barrels to be granted the title of Cognac. The oak wood will import color, structure and organoleptic complexity. The different steps during barrel-making process, such as seasoning and toasting, influence the above quality attributes in both wines and spirits. Barrel toasting is probably the most important step in barrel manufacturing, as it influences oak wood chemical composition, which is then likely to migrate into the wine and spirits during ageing, affecting their organoleptic properties. From a sensory point of view, no studies have been conducted focusing on the influence of barrel toasting on Cognac eaux-de-vie. Therefore, the aim of our study is to perform a sensory characterization of Cognac eaux-de-vie aged for 12 months in barrels representing different toasting levels. Eight eaux-de-vie aged in barrels with 8 different toastings were studied. The 8 toastings represented 4 different temperatures (low, medium, medium plus and high) and two toasting lengths for each temperature (one so-called “normal” and the other “slow”). Sensory analysis was carried out on these eaux-de-vie through several tests. First, a sor- ting test showed the differences between the samples and then training was carried out on previously chosen descriptors in order to build a sensory profile and perform a ranking test. The study was realised at an alcohol level of 40 % (v/v), which is the alcohol level of a commercial Cognac. The results showed that the eaux-de-vie are strongly impacted by the toasting of the barrel during the first year of ageing and it is possible to differenciate them according to the toasting used. Light barrel toasting results in significantly different eaux-de-vie from those aged in high-toast barrels. The latter tends to result in high quality eaux-de-vie. This study is a first step in the characterisation of Cognac eaux-de-vie aged in barrels made with different toastings and can lead to practical recommendations in order to obtain the ideal toasting temperatures that give the best olfactory and gustatory profiles in eaux-de-vie.

DOI:

Publication date: February 9, 2024

Issue: OENO Macrowine 2023

Type: Article

Authors

Mathilde GADRAT1,2,3, Catherine EMO3, Joël LAVERGNE3, Pierre-Louis TEISSEDRE1,2, Kléopatra CHIRA1,2

1. Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, INRAE, OENO, UMR 1366, ISVV, F-33140 Villenave d’Ornon, France
2. Bordeaux Sciences Agro, Bordeaux INP, INRAE, OENO, UMR 1366, ISVV, F-33170 Gradignan, France
3. Maison Courvoisier, 2 place du château, 16200 Jarnac

Contact the author*

Keywords

Cognac, Sensory analysis, Barrel toasting

Tags

IVES Conference Series | oeno macrowine 2023 | oeno-macrowine

Citation

Related articles…

EVALUATION OF INDIGENOUS CANADIAN YEAST STRAINS AS WINE STARTER CULTURES ON PILOT SCALE FERMENTATIONS

The interactions between geographical and biotic factors, along with the winemaking process, influence the composition and sensorial characteristics of wine¹. In addition to the primary end products of alcoholic fermentation, many secondary metabolites contribute to wine flavor and aroma and their production depends predominantly on the yeast strain carrying out the fermentation. Commercially available strains of S. cerevisiae help improve the reproducibility and predictability of wine quality. However, most commercial wine strains available on the market have been isolated from Europe, are genetically similar, and may not be the ideal strain to reflect the terroir of Canadian vineyards².
Read More

NEW TREATMENTS FOR TEMPRANILLO WINES BY USING CABERNET SAUVIGNON VINE-SHOOTS AND MICRO-OXYGENATION

Toasted vine-shoots as enological additive represents a promising topic due to their significant effect on wine profile. However, the use of this new enological tool with SEGs varieties different than wine and combined with others winemaking technologies, such as micro-oxygenation (MOX), has not been studied so far, despite this combination could result in wine with high chemical and organoleptic quality.

Read More

EUGENOL AS QUALITY MARKER OF WINES AND SPIRITS FROM HYBRID VINES: IMPACT OF DIFFERENT WINEMAKING AND DISTILLATION PROCESSES

Eugenol, widely spread in various plants notably cloves, basil and bay, was identified too in wines from hybrid grapes without contact with oak wood. This aromatic molecule presents a strong spicy note of clove and also antifongic properties. Eugenol was described as an endogenous compound of Baco blanc, from the grapes to the spirits of Armagnac area. Moreover, this compound is a chemical marker of Baco blanc products quality.
Influences of harvest time and different winemaking processes (settling, use of enzymatic preparations, lees content and stock time before distillation) on Baco blanc wine eugenol contents were explored using a two-levels full factorial Design of Experiments (DoEs).

Read More

LARGE-SCALE PHENOTYPIC SCREENING OF THE SPOILAGE YEAST BRETTANOMYCES BRUXELLENSIS: UNTANGLING PATTERNS OF ADAPTATION AND SELECTION, AND CONSEQUENCES FOR INNOVATIVE WINE TREATMENTS

Brettanomyces bruxellensis is considered as the main spoilage yeast in oenology. Its presence in red wine leads to off-flavour due to the production of volatile phenols such as 4-vinylphenol, 4-vinylguaiacol, 4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol, whose aromatic notes are unpleasant (e.g. animal, leather, horse or pharmaceutical). Beside wine, B. bruxellensis is commonly isolated from beer, kombucha and bioethanol production, where its role can be described as negative or positive. Recent genomic studies unveiled the existence of various populations.

Read More

SENSORY EVALUATION OF WINE AROMA: SHOULD COLOR-DRIVEN DESCRIPTORS BE USED?

The vocabulary used to describe wine aroma is commonly organized according to color, raising the question of whether they reflect the reality of olfactory perception. Previous studies have assumed this convention of color-aroma matching, and have investigated color’s influence on the perception of aroma only in dyed white wine or in red wine from particular places of origin. Here 48 white and red varietal wines from around the world were evaluated in black glasses then in clear glasses by a panel of wine experts, who gave intensity ratings for aroma attributes commonly used by wine professionals. In black glasses, aromas conventionally associated with white wine were perceived in the red wines, and vice versa.

Read More