terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 CHEMICAL DRIVERS OF POSITIVE REDUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND CHARDONNAY WINES

CHEMICAL DRIVERS OF POSITIVE REDUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND CHARDONNAY WINES

Abstract

According to winemakers, wine experts and sommeliers, aromas of wet stone, mineral, struck match and flint in white wines styles, such as those produced from Vitis vinifera L. cv. Chardonnay, are considered to be hallmarks of positive reduction.1,2 In recent years, the production of Chardonnay styles defined by aroma characteristics related to positive reduction has become more desirable among wine experts and consumers. The chemical basis of positive reduction is thought to originate from the concentration of specific volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), including methanethiol (MeSH) imparting mineral and chalk notes,3 and benzenemethanethiol (BMT) responsible for struck match and flint.1,4 However, the role of other aroma compounds, including esters, higher alcohols, and other VSCs, and their contribution to the sensory perception of positive reduction in New Zealand (NZ) Chardonnay wines has not been fully investigated. We selected 12 commercial NZ Chardonnay wines to represent a range of styles from low to high intensities of mineral and flint. Wine aroma profiles were analysed using headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) was performed on the same wines using a trained panel. Wines varied greatly in both their chemical and sensorial characteristics. Multivariate analysis showed that there were several key VSCs found to be explanatory variables driving the perception of attributes related to positive reduction in the NZ Chardonnay wines. These results will be presented in the context of winemaking techniques that can be applied by the industry to achieve Chardonnay styles with positive reduction, if desired by the winemaker.

 

1. Tominaga, T.; Guimbertau, G.; Dubourdieu, D. Contribution of Benzenemethanethiol to Smoky Aroma of Certain Vitis Vinifera 
L. Wines. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2003, 51 (5), 1373–1376. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf020756c.
2. Malfeito-Ferreira, M. Wine Minerality and Funkiness: Blending the Two Tales of the Same Story. Fermentation 2022, 8 (12). https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8120745.
3. Rodrigues, H.; Sáenz-Navajas, M.-P.; Franco-Luesma, E.; Valentin, D.; Fernández-Zurbano, P.; Ferreira, V.; De La Fuente Blanco, A.; Ballester, J. Sensory and Chemical Drivers of Wine Minerality Aroma: An Application to Chablis Wines. Food Chem. 2017, 230, 553–562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.03.036.
4. Capone, D. L.; Barker, A.; Williamson, P. O.; Francis, I. L. The Role of Potent Thiols in Chardonnay Wine Aroma. Aust. J. Grape Wine Res. 2018, 24 (1), 38–50. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajgw.12294.

DOI:

Publication date: February 9, 2024

Issue: OENO Macrowine 2023

Type: Poster

Authors

Rebecca C.Deed1, Daisy Zhang¹, Jennifer R. Muhl², Mathilde Derycke²

1. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland
2. School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland

Contact the author*

Keywords

Chardonnay, Flint, Mineral, Volatile Sulfur Compounds

Tags

IVES Conference Series | oeno macrowine 2023 | oeno-macrowine

Citation

Related articles…

PROFILING OF LIPIDS IN WINES FROM MONOCULTURE FERMENTATION WITH INDIGENOUS METSCHNIKOWIA YEAST SPECIES

Lipids are a diverse group of organic compounds essential for living systems. They are vital compounds for yeast which makes them an important modulator of yeast metabolism in alcoholic fermentation. This study presents a comprehensive lipidome analysis of wine samples from the Vitis vinifera L., Maraština. The fermentation trails were set up in monoculture with different indigenous yeast strains selected from a collection of native yeasts established at the Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation in 2021, previously isolated from Croatian Maraština grapes: Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Metshnikowia sinensis/shanxiensis , and Metschnikowia chyrsoperlae.

WINE LEES AS A SOURCE OF NITROGEN FOR OENOCOCCUS OENI TO IMPROVE MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION PERFORMANCE

Malolactic fermentation (MLF) is a desired process in red and acidic white wines, after alcoholic fermentation (AF), carried out by the lactic acid bacterium (LAB) Oenococcus oeni. The advantages are an increase of pH, microbiological stabilization and organoleptic improvement of the final wine. However, the presence of stress factors such as ethanol, low pH, high total SO2, lack of nutrients and presence of inhibitors, could affect the successful completion of MLF [1]. Changes in amino acid composition and deficiencies in peptides after AF, showed that MLF can be delayed, signaling its importance for bacterial growth and L-malic acid degradation during MLF [2].

INVESTIGATING TERROIR TYPICITY: A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY BASED ON THE AROMATIC AND SENSORIAL PROFILES OF RED WINES FROM CORBIÈRES APPELLATION

Volatile compounds play a significant role on the organoleptic properties defining wines quality. This particular role was exploited in several studies with the aim to differentiate wines from a more or less extensive production area, according to their sensory profile [1], as well as their chemical composition [2,3] (Di Paola-Naranjo et al., 2011; Kustos et al., 2020). Indeed, since aroma compounds development in grapes depends primarily on the environmental conditions of the vines and grapes (soil and climate), it is conceivable that these parameters craft the aromatic signature of the wine produced, in relation to its origin (Van Leeuwen et al., 2020). In this work, a general study on the aromatic and sensorial profile of wines produced in five sub-regions of the Corbières denomination, a renowned red grape varieties viticultural region in South France, was reported.

ESTIMATING THE INITIAL OXYGEN RELEASE (IOR) OF CORK CLOSURES

Many factors influence aging of bottled wine, oxygen transfer through the closure is included. The maximum uptake of wine before oxidation begins varies from 60 mg.L-¹ to 180 mg.L-1 for white and red wines respectively [1].
The process of bottling may lead to considerable amounts of oxygen. The actual contribution of the transfer through the closure system becomes relevant at the bottle storage, but the amounts are small compared to prepacking operations [2] and to the total oxygen attained during filling.

YEAST DERIVATIVE PRODUCTS: CHARACTERIZATION AND IMPACT ON RIBOFLAVIN RELEASE DURING THE ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION

Light-struck taste (LST) is a wine fault that can occur in white and sparkling wines when exposed to light. This defect is mainly associated to the formation of methanethiol and dimethyl disulfide due to light-induced reactions involving riboflavin (RF) and methionine [1]. The presence of RF in wine is mainly due to the metabolism of yeast [2] which fermenting activity can be favoured by using yeast derivative products (YDPs) as nutrients. Nonetheless, a previous study showed the addition of YDPs before the alcoholic fermentation (AF) led to higher concentrations of RF in wines [3]. Due to the widespread use of YDPs in the winemaking process, this study aimed to understand the possible relation between the content of RF in wine and the YDP adopted as nutrient for AF.