terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 METHYL SALICYLATE: A TRENDY COMPOUND MARKER OF ZELEN, A UNIQUE SLOVENIAN VARIETY

METHYL SALICYLATE: A TRENDY COMPOUND MARKER OF ZELEN, A UNIQUE SLOVENIAN VARIETY

Abstract

The wine market interest for autochthonous varieties, particularly from less known wine regions, has significantly raised in the past few years. In that context, Slovenia, a small country from central Europe with a long winemaking tradition, is getting more and more attention, particularly through its range of unique regional varieties. Among them, Zelen, meaning “green” in Slovene, can only be found in the Vipava valley region, located on the western side of the country, near the border with Italy. When they are young, Zelen wines display very singular aromas reminiscent of rosemary, sage and white fruit. Despite its uniqueness, Zelen wine aromatic typicality is poorly documented in the literature. The goal of this study was to highlight some potential aromatic markers specific to Zelen in comparison to other international and regional varieties grown in Slovenia. A first batch of 28 white wines from different Slovenian wine regions including 8 Zelen wines, were analysed for their contents in volatile thiols by GC/MS/MS, terpenoids, and untargeted screening by HS/SPME-GC/MS. Thereafter a second batch of 67 wines from Vipava valley including 25 Zelen wines, were analysed for their contents in methyl salicylate and volatile phenols by HS/SPME-GC/MS. The first batch of analyses showed that Zelen had lower content in volatile thiols and higher concentration in some monoterpenols such as linalool in comparison to other varieties. Nevertheless, two com- pounds identified with the untargeted analysis seemed to be particularly important in Zelen wines aro- matic profile: methyl salicylate and 4-vinylguaiacol. The second batch of analysis confirmed this trend with the average concentration of methyl salicylate at 14 µg/L and 3 µg/L in Zelen and other wines respectively. The highest concentration was measured at 38 µg/L in one Zelen wine, which corresponds to the sensory threshold measured in neutral white wines [1]. Methyl salicylate has recently gained some attention as it was found that this compound could contribute to the Italian Verdicchio and Lugana wines aromatic profile [1,2] and to some Bordeaux red wines made under specific conditions [3,4]. Zelen wines also displayed higher concentrations of 4-vinylguaiacol with 30% of Zelen wines having concentrations above the perception threshold reported for white wines [5]. Preliminary sensory investigations suggested that both compounds could potentially contribute to Zelen aromatic typicality.

 

1. Slaghenaufi, D.; Luzzini, G.; Solis, J. S.; Forte, F., Ugliano, M.; Two Sides to One Story—Aroma Chemical and Sensory Signature of Lugana and Verdicchio Wines (2021), Molecules 26: 2127.
2. Carlin, S.; Vrhovsek, U.; Lonardi, A.; Landi L.; Mattivi F., Aromatic complexity in Verdicchio wines: a case study. (2019), OENO One 4: 597-610
3. Pelonnier-Magimel, E.; Lytra, G.; Franc, C.; Farris, L.; Darriet, P.; Barbe, J-C. Methyl Salicylate, an Odor-Active Compound in Bordeaux Red Wines Produced without Sulfites Addition (2022), J. Agric. Food Chem.70: 39
4. Poitou, X.; Redon, P.; Pons, A.; Bruez, E.; Delière, L.; Marchal, A.; Cholet, C.; Geny-Denis, L.; Darriet, P. Methyl salicylate, a grape and wine chemical marker and sensory contributor in wines elaborated from grapes affected or not by cryptogamic diseases. (2021). Food Chem. 360:130120
5. Chatonnet, P.; Dubordieu, D.; Boidron, J-N.; Lavigne, V.; Synthesis of volatile phenols by Saccharomyces cerevisiae in wines (1993). J. Sci. Food Agric. 62(2): 191–202 

DOI:

Publication date: February 9, 2024

Issue: OENO Macrowine 2023

Type: Poster

Authors

Guillaume Antalick¹, Mitja Martelanc¹, Tatjana Radovanović Vukajlović¹, Diana Martin¹, Katja Šuklje², Andreja Vanzo², Klemen Lisjak², Davide Slaghenaufi³ Branka Mozetič Vodopivec¹, Melita Sternad Lemut¹, Lorena Butinar¹

1. University of Nova Gorica, Wine Research Centre, Lanthieri Palace, Glavni trg 8, SI-5271 Vipava, Slovenia
2. Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Department of Fruit Growing, Viticulture and Oenology, Hacquetova ulica 17, 1000 Ljubl-jana, Slovenia
3. Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy

Contact the author*

Keywords

Zelen, typicality, methyl salicylate, 4-vinylguaiacol

Tags

IVES Conference Series | oeno macrowine 2023 | oeno-macrowine

Citation

Related articles…

PHENOLICS DYNAMICS OF BERRIES FROM VITIS VINIFERA CV SYRAH GRAFTED ON TWO CONTRASTING ROOTSTOCKS UNDER COMBINED SALINITY AND WATER STRESSORS AND ITS EFFECT ON WINE QUALITY

Wine regions are getting warmer as average temperatures continue raising affecting grape growth, berry composition and wine production. Berry quality was evaluated in plants of Vitis vinifera cv Syrah grafted on two rootstocks, Paulsen (PL1103) and SO4, and grown under two salinity concentrations (LS:0.7dS/m and HS:2.5dSm-1) in combination with two irrigation regimes (HW:133% and CW:100%), being the seasonal water application 483mm (control, 100%). Spectrophotometer measurements from berry skin during veraison and harvest stages and from “young” wine samples, were indicative of the stressors effect and the mediation of the rootstocks. At veraison (i) total phenolics content were high under LSHW (0.7dSm-1 and high water conditions) for SO4 and PL1103.

Read More

METABOLIC INTERACTIONS OF SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE COCULTURES: A WAY TO EXTEND THE AROMA DIVERSITY OF CHARDONNAY WINE

Yeast co-inoculations in winemaking have been investigated in various applications, but most often in the context of modulating the aromatic profiles of wines. Our study aimed to characterize S. cerevisiae interactions and their impact on wine by taking an integrative approach. Three cocultures and corresponding pure cultures of S. cerevisiae were characterized according to their fermentative capacities, the chemical composition and aromatic profile of the associated Chardonnay wines. The various strains studied within the cocultures showed different behaviors regarding their development.

Read More

IMPACT OF THE WINES’ QUALITY ON THE WINE DISTILLATES’ ORGANOLEPTIC PROFILE

Brandy de Jerez (BJ) is a spirit drink made exclusively from spirits and wine distillates and is characterized by the use of casks for aging that previously contained Sherries. The quality and sensory complexity of BJ depend on the raw materials and some factors: grape variety, conditions during processing the wine and its distillation, as well as the aging in the cask. Therefore, the original compounds of the grapes from which it comes are of great interest (1 y 2) being in most cases the Airén variety. Their relationship with the quality of the musts and the wines obtained from them has been studied (3) and varies each year of harvest depending on the weather conditions (4).

Read More

THE ODORIFEROUS VOLATILE CHEMICALS BEHIND THE OXIDATIVE AROMA DEGRADATION OF SPANISH RED WINES

It is a well-established fact that premature oxidation is noxious for wine aromatic quality and longevity. Although some oxidation-related aroma molecules have been previously identified, there are not works carrying out systematic research about the changes in the profiles of odour-active volatiles during wine oxidation.

Read More

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.

Read More