terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 THE EFFECT OF COPPER ON THE PRODUCTION OF VARIETAL THIOLS DURING THE ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION OF COLOMBARD AND GROS MANSENG GRAPE JUICES

THE EFFECT OF COPPER ON THE PRODUCTION OF VARIETAL THIOLS DURING THE ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION OF COLOMBARD AND GROS MANSENG GRAPE JUICES

Abstract

Nowadays, the rapid growth of vineyards with organic practices and the use of copper as the only fungicide against downy mildew raises again the question of the effect of copper on varietal thiols in wine, especially 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (3SH) and its acetate (3SHA). A few decades ago, several works indicated that the use of copper in the vineyard had a negative effect on the content of varietal thiols in Sauvignon blanc wines [1, 2]. However, these studies only considered the concentration of the reduced form (RSH) of varietal thiols, without quantifying the oxidised ones. For this purpose, we proposed to monitor both reduced and oxidised forms of varietal thiols in wine under copper stress during alcoholic fermentation to have a more complete picture of the biological and chemical mechanisms. In the present work, Colombard and Gros Manseng grape juices were fermented under different copper levels (from 0.2 to 3.88 mg/L) to mimic the consequences of organic practices on grape and must. The consumption of thiol precursors and the release of varietal thiols (both free and oxidised forms of 3SH and 3SHA) were monitored by LC-MS/MS according to previously published methods [3, 4]. It was found that the highest copper content (3.6 and 3.88 mg/L for Colombard and Gros Manseng, respectively) significantly increased yeast consumption of precursors (by 9.0 and 7.6% for Colombard and Gros Manseng, respectively). Surprisingly, this higher consumption of precursors was not associated to higher thiol concentrations. Indeed, for both varieties, the content of free thiols in the wine decreased significantly (by 84 and 47% for Colombard and Gros Manseng, respectively) with the increase of copper in the starting must, as already described in the literature [1, 2]. However, the sum “reduced+oxidized” forms of 3SH produced during fermentation was constant for the Colombard must regardless of the copper conditions, which means that the effect of copper was only oxidative for this variety. In Gros Manseng, on the other hand, the sum “reduced+oxidized” forms of 3SH increased with the copper content, up to 90%. This last result suggests that copper probably modifies the regulation of the production pathways of varietal thiols and has also a key role of oxidation. These results complement our knowledge on the effect of copper during thiol-oriented fermentation and the importance of considering both “reduced+oxidized” forms to distinguish chemical from biological effects.

 

1. Darriet, P., et al., Effects of copper fungicide spraying on volatile thiols of the varietal aroma of Sauvignon blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines. VITIS-GEILWEILERHOF-, 2001. 40(2): p. 93-100.
2. Hatzidimitriou, E., et al., Incidence d’une protection viticole anticryptogamique utilisant une formulation cuprique sur le niveau de maturité des raisins et l’arôme variétal des vins de Sauvignon:(Bilan de trois années d’expérimentation). Journal International des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin, 1996. 30(3): p. 133-150.
3. Roland, A., et al., Innovative analysis of 3-mercaptohexan-1-ol, 3-mercaptohexylacetate and their corresponding disulfides in wine by Stable Isotope Dilution Assay and nano-liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A, 2016. 1468: p. 154-163.
4. Bonnaffoux, H., et al., First identification and quantification of S-3-(hexan-1-ol)-γ-glutamyl-cysteine in grape must as a potential thiol precursor, using UPLC-MS/MS analysis and stable isotope dilution assay. Food Chemistry, 2017. 237: p. 877-886

DOI:

Publication date: February 9, 2024

Issue: OENO Macrowine 2023

Type: Poster

Authors

G. Dournes1, T. Dufourcq², L. Suc1, J.-R. Mouret1 and A. Roland1*

1. SPO, Université de Montpellier, INRAE, Institut Agro, Montpellier, France
2. Institut Français de la Vigne et du Vin, Pôle Sud-Ouest, Caussens, France

Contact the author*

Keywords

3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol, copper, alcoholic fermentation, yeast

Tags

IVES Conference Series | oeno macrowine 2023 | oeno-macrowine

Citation

Related articles…

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

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

PHENOTYPIC DIVERSITY AND BIO-PROTECTION CAPABILITY OF METSCHNIKOWIA SP. IN OENOLOGY

Nowadays, the trend is to reduce the use of chemical inputs in the food sector, including in oenology. One of the inputs widely used in the wine making process are sulfites, for its several properties: antimicrobial and antioxidiant. This use isn’t without consequences on consumer’s health and environment, it can lead for example to allergic reactions and pollution. To limit the addition of chemical inputs, microbial alternatives are used. It consists to inoculate in grape must, a micro-organism able to inhibit the growth of the negative indigenous flora during the phase before the fermentation and to guarantee the sensory qualities of wines.

Read More

WINE FERMENTATION METABOLITES PRODUCED BY TWO TORULASPORA DELBRUECKII STRAINS ISOLATED FROM OKANAGAN VALLEY, BC, CANADA VINEYARDS

Wine aroma is influenced by various factors, from agricultural practices in the vineyard to the enological choices made by winemakers throughout the vinification process. Spontaneous fermentations have a characteristically deeper complexity of aromas when compared to fermentations that have been inoculated with Saccharomyces (S.) cerevisiae because of the diversity of microflora naturally present on grape skins. Non-Saccharomyces yeast are being extensively studied for their ability to positively contribute to wine aroma and flavour. These yeasts are known to liberate more bound volatile compounds present in grape must than S. cerevisiae through the enzymatic action of β-glucosidases and β-lyases1.

Read More

TOWARDS THE SHELF-LIFE PREDICTION OF OLD CHAMPAGNE VINTAGES DEPENDING ON THE BOTTLE CAPACITY

Today, nearly one billion bottles of different sizes and capacities are aging in Champagne cellars while waiting to be put on the market. Among them, several tens of thousands of prestigious cuvees elaborated prior the 2000s are potentially concerned by prolonged aging on lees. However, when it comes to champagne tasting, dissolved CO₂ is a key compound responsible for the very much sought-after effer-vescence in glasses [1]. Yet, the slow decrease of dissolved CO₂ during prolonged aging of the most prestigious cuvees raises the issue of how long a champagne can age before it becomes unable to form CO₂ bubbles during tasting [2].

Read More