terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 USE OF 13C CP/MAS NMR AND EPR SPECTROSCOPIC TECHNIQUES TO CHARACTERIZE MACROMOLECULAR CHANGES IN OAK WOOD(QUERCUS PETRAEA) DURING TOASTING

USE OF 13C CP/MAS NMR AND EPR SPECTROSCOPIC TECHNIQUES TO CHARACTERIZE MACROMOLECULAR CHANGES IN OAK WOOD(QUERCUS PETRAEA) DURING TOASTING

Abstract

For coopers, toasting process is considered a crucial step in barrel production during which oak wood (Q. petraea) develops several aromatic nuances released to the wine during its maturation. Toasting consists of applying different degrees of heat to a barrel for a specific period. As the temperature increases, thermal degradation of oak wood structure produces a huge range of chemical compounds. Many studies have identified the main key aroma volatile compounds (whisky-lactone, furfural, eugenol, guaiacol, vanillin). However, detailed information on how the chemical structure of oak wood degrades with increasing toasting level is still lacking.

In this study, we characterised the structural changes of the main components (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) of oak wood staves subjected to heat treatments (non-toasted to 240 °C) by cross-polarisation/magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CP/MAS NMR, 800 MHz) and electron para-magnetic resonance (EPR, X-band) spectroscopy techniques applied to solids. Furthermore, the results will be compared to those obtained by quantitative GC-MS (EI) analysis of oak wood volatile compounds generated by the same heat treatments. The 13C CP/MAS NMR data highlighted concomitant phenomena of demethoxylation and depolymerisation of syringyl units leading to the formation of guaiacyl units and the release of monomer units. EPR results revealed the same phenomena and led us to hypothesize that the nature of the radical formed evolved during toasting from syringyl to guaiacyl form. Our results are consistent with data on others wood species and confirm that 200 °C is a threshold temperature above which degradation of the macromolecular structure leads to the formation of radicals and volatile compounds. Overall, the study offers interesting perspectives for the application of spectroscopic techniques, particularly EPR spectroscopy, to monitor radical formation during barrel aging and, consequently, to assess the oxidative stability of wine.

DOI:

Publication date: February 9, 2024

Issue: OENO Macrowine 2023

Type: Poster

Authors

Marie Courregelongue 1,2,3, Mathieu Duttine ⁴, Axelle Grélard ⁵, Alexandre Pons 1,2,3

1. Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, INRAE, OENO, UMR 1366, ISVV, F-33140 Villenave d’Ornon, France
2. Bordeaux Sciences Agro, F-33170 Gradignan, France
3. Seguin Moreau Cooperage, ZI Merpins, F-16103 Cognac, France
4. Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, ICMCB, UMR 5026, F-33600 Pessac, France
5. Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, CBMN, UMR 5248, IECB, F-33600 Pessac, France

Contact the author*

Keywords

oak wood, thermal degradation, macromolecular components, aroma compounds

Tags

IVES Conference Series | oeno macrowine 2023 | oeno-macrowine

Citation

Related articles…

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).

EVALUATION OF THE OENOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF NEW RESISTANT VARIETIES MEETING TYPICAL BORDEAUX CHARACTERISTICS

Varietal innovation is a major lever for meeting the challenges of the agro-ecological transition of vi-neyards and their adaptation to climate change. To date, selection work has already begun in the Bordeaux region through the Newvine project. The aim of this project is to create new vine varieties with resistance to mildew and powdery mildew, adapted to the climatic conditions of the Bordeaux region and enabling the production of wines that are in line with consumer tastes and the expected typicity of Bordeaux wines.

FLAVONOID POTENTIAL OF MINORITY RED GRAPE VARIETIES

The alteration in the rainfall pattern and the increase in the temperatures associated to global climate change are already affecting wine production in many viticultural regions all around the world (1). In fact, grapes are nowadays ripening earlier from a technological point of view than in the past, but they are not necessarily mature from a phenolic point of view. Consequently, the wines made from these grapes can be unbalanced or show high alcohol content. Dramatic shifts in viticultural areas are currently being projected for the future (2).

PRODUCTION OF A FUNCTIONAL BEVERAGE FROM WINEMAKING BY-PRODUCTS: A NEW WAY OF VALORISATION

In the challenge of transforming waste into useful products that can be re-used in a circular economy perspective, winery by-products can be considered as a source of potentially bioactive molecules such as polyphenols. The wine industry generates each year 20 million tons of by-products. Kombucha fermentation is an ancestral process which allow to increase the biological properties of tea by the action of a microbial consortium formed by yeasts and bacteria called SCOBY. It belongs to the field of healthy food for which the interest of consumers is growing. The objective of this work was to propose a new functional beverage made from winemaking by-products fermented by a Kombucha SCOBY.

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT VITICULTURAL AND ENOLOGICAL PRACTICES ON THE PHENOLIC COMPOSITION OF RED WINES

Global climate change is exerting a notable influence on viticulture sector and grape composition. The increase in temperature and the changes in rainfall pattern are causing a gap between phenolic and technological grape maturities [1]. As a result, the composition of grapes at harvest time and, consequently, that of wines are being affected, especially with regards to phenolic composition. Hence, wine quality is decreasing due to changes in the organoleptic properties, such as color and astringency, making necessary to implement new adaptive technologies in wineries to modulate these properties in order to improve wine quality.