terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 PREVALENCE OF OAK-RELATED AROMA COMPOUNDS IN PREMIUM WINES

PREVALENCE OF OAK-RELATED AROMA COMPOUNDS IN PREMIUM WINES

Abstract

Barrel fermentation and barrel-ageing of wine are commonly utilised practices in premium wine production. The wine aroma compounds related to barrel contact are varied and can enhance a range of wine aromas and flavours, such as ‘struck flint’, ‘caramel’, ‘red berry’, ‘toasty’ and ‘nutty’, as well as conventional oaky characters such as ‘vanilla’, ‘spice’, ‘smoky’ and ‘coconut’. A survey of commercially produced premium Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines was conducted, assessing the prevalence of compounds that have been proposed as barrel-ageing markers¹ including oak lactones, volatile phenols, furanones, aldehydes, thiazoles2,3, phenylmethanethiol⁴ and 2-furylmethanethiol.⁵

Accurate quantitative data is necessary to help understand the compounds which might influence these aromas but their analysis is often not a trivial undertaking. The furanones, especially furaneol, are difficult to measure accurately in wine as they are very polar. Thus, an improved stable isotope dilution assay was developed using automated liquid–liquid microextraction and multidimensional–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Also, the quantification of aldehydes was simplified using automated headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry with invial derivatisation. Thiazoles were quantified utilising gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrome-try. Other targeted volatile compounds were quantified using previously published stable isotope dilution assay methods that are routinely used in-house. Wide concentration ranges were found for many of the targeted aroma compounds and this information will direct further detailed studies.

 

1. Jarauta, I.; Cacho, J.; Ferreira, V. Concurrent phenomena contributing to the formation of the aroma of wine during aging in oak wood:  an analytical study. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2005, 53 (10), 4166-4177.
2. Gros, J.; Lavigne, V.; Thibaud, F.; Gammacurta, M.; Moine, V.; Dubourdieu, D.; Darriet, P.; Marchal, A. Toward a molecular understanding of the typicality of Chardonnay wines: identification of powerful aromatic compounds reminiscent of hazelnut. 
J. Agric. Food Chem. 2017, 65 (5), 1058-1069.
3. Marchand, S.; de Revel, G.; Bertrand, A., Approaches to Wine Aroma:  Release of aroma compounds from reactions between cysteine and carbonyl compounds in wine. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2000, 48, (10), 4890-4895.
4. Piano, F.; Petrozziello, M.; Vaudano, E.; Bonello, F.; Ferreira, V.; Zapata, J.; Hernández-Orte, P. Aroma compounds and sensory characteristics of Arneis Terre Alfieri DOC wines: the concentration of polyfunctional thiols and their evolution in relation to different ageing conditions. Eur. Food Res. Technol. 2014, 239 (2), 267-277.
5. Blanchard, L.; Tominaga, T.; Dubourdieu, D. Formation of furfurylthiol exhibiting a strong coffee aroma during oak barrel fermentation from furfural released by toasted staves. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2001, 49 (10), 4833-4835. 

DOI:

Publication date: February 9, 2024

Issue: OENO Macrowine 2023

Type: Poster

Authors

Tracey SIEBERT¹, Flynn WATSON¹, Mark SOLOMON¹, Maddy JIANG¹, Tabea SÖNCKSEN1,2, Lisa PISANIELLO¹, Leigh FRANCIS¹, Marlize BEKKER¹

1.The Australian Wine Research Institute, Waite Precinct, Hartley Grove cnr Paratoo Road, Urrbrae 5064, Australia
2.Technical University of Braunschweig, Universitätsplatz 2, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany

Contact the author*

Keywords

oak barrel, wine, aroma compounds, quantitation

Tags

IVES Conference Series | oeno macrowine 2023 | oeno-macrowine

Citation

Related articles…

IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL CHEMICAL MARKERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PERMISSIVENESS OF BORDEAUX RED WINES AGAINST BRETTANOMYCES BRUXELLENSIS USING UNTARGETED METABOLOMICS

All along the red winemaking process, many microorganisms develop in wine, some being beneficial and essential, others being feared spoilers. One of the most feared microbial enemy of wine all around the world is Brettanomyces bruxellensis. Indeed, in red wines, this yeast produces volatile phenols, molecules associated with a flavor described as “horse sweat”, “burnt plastic” or “leather”. To produce significant and detectable concentrations of these undesired molecules, the yeasts should first grow and become numerous enough. Even if the genetic group of the strain present and the cellar temperature may modulate the yeast growth rate¹ and thus the risk of spoilage, the main factor seems to be the wines themselves, some being much more permissive to B. bruxellensis development than others.

AGEING REVEALS THE TERROIR OF AGED RED BORDEAUX WINES REGARDLESS OF THE VINTAGES! TARGETED APPROACH USING ODOROUS COMPOUNDS LEVELS INCLUDING TERPENES AND C13 NORISOPRENOIDS

The chemistry of wine is notably complex and is modified by ageing of the bottles. The composition of wines is the result of vine production (under the influence of vintage, climate and soils); yeast production (under the influence of juice composition and fermentation management); lactic bacteria production (under the influence of young wine composition and malolactic fermentation management); and of the ageing process either in vats, barrels or bottles or both. The composition is linked to the quality perceived by consumers but also to their origin, sometimes associated to the “terroir” concept.

EMERGENCE OF INORGANIC PHOSPHONATE RESIDUES IN GRAPEVINE PLANT PARTS, BERRIES AND WINES FROM SOURCES OTHER THAN FOLIAR SPRAYING

Inorganic phosphonates are known to effectively support the control of grapevine downy mildew in vi- ticulture. Their application helps the plant to induce an earlier and more effective pathogen defense. However, inorganic phosphonates have been banned in organic viticulture due to their classification as plant protection products since October 2013. Despite the ban, phosphonate has been recently detected in organic wines.

FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY IN MONITORING THE WINE PRODUCTION

The complexity of the wine matrix makes the monitoring of the winemaking process crucial. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) along with chemometrics is considered an effective analytical tool combining good accuracy, robustness, high sample throughput, and “green character”. Portable and non-portable FTIR devices are already used by the wine industry for routine analysis. However, the analytical calibrations need to be enriched, and some others are still waiting to be thoroughly developed.

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.