terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 INFLUENCE OF THE THICKNESS OF OAK ALTERNATIVES ON THE COMPOSITION AND QUALITY OF RED WINES

INFLUENCE OF THE THICKNESS OF OAK ALTERNATIVES ON THE COMPOSITION AND QUALITY OF RED WINES

Abstract

Aging red wines in oak barrels is an expensive and laborious process that can only be applied to wines with a certain added value. For this reason, the use of oak alternatives coupled with micro-oxygenation has progressively increased over recent years, because it can reproduce the processes taking place in the barrels more economically and quickly [1]. Several studies have explored how oak alternatives [2-5] can contribute to wine composition and quality but little is known about the influence of their thickness. The aim of this research was therefore to study how different thickness of oak alternatives would influence the color, phenolic compounds and volatile composition of a red wine, especially with regard to the substances released by oak wood. For that purpose, a red wine was introduced in twelve 100-L plastic tanks with an oxygen permeability similar to oak barrels (Flexcube, Quilinox). Three tanks were supplemented with 2.5 g/L oak chips (between 7.5x3x1.5 and 20x13x3 mm), other three with 5 g/L of thin staves (7x47x960 mm), other three with 10 g/L of thick staves (17x47x960 mm) and finally the last three were maintained as controls. These dosages were chosen based on an equivalent oak impact intensity according to previous experiences.
All the wood alternatives were made of French oak (Q, petraea) with origin and characteristics as similar as possible. The wines were analyzed at 2, 6 and 12 months of aging in that conditions. Wines were also tasted by a trained panel at the end of aging time. The color intensity (CI), the Total Polyphenol Index (TPI) and the total tannins quantified by the methyl-cellulose precipitation method were significant higher in all wines supplemented with oak alternatives in respect to the controls, and it was observed that all these parameters increased as the thickness of the alternatives increased. In contrast, anthocyanins showed the opposite trend, being lower in concentration when the thickness of the alternatives was greater. Both trends, higher CI and lower anthocyanin concentration as the thickness of the oak alternatives increases, can be explained by the formation of polymeric pigments. In fact, the PVPP Index (% of combined anthocyanins) and the Ionization index (% of colored anthocyanins) augment as thickness increases. In general, all the volatile compounds coming from the wood (furans, vanillin, volatile phenols and whiskey-lactones) increased throughout the aging time and this increase was more important when the thickness of the alternatives was higher. Finally, the trained panel considered that color, aromatic intensity and complexity, sweetness, mouthfeel, structure and persistence of the wine improved significantly as the thickness of the alternatives increased. In addition, the panel preferred the wine aged with thick staves, followed in decreasing order by the wines aged with thin staves, oak chips and control. It can be concluded therefore that the thickness of the oak alternatives seems to have a clear influence on the composition and quality of the wines, the effect being significantly better when the thickness is higher.

 

1. Navarro, M., Mena, A., Giordanengo, T., Gómez-Alonso, S., García-Romero, E., Fort, F., Canals, J.M., Hermosín-Gutiérrez, I., Zamora, F. (2020). Oeno One, 3, 497–511.
2. Bautista-Ortín A.B., Lencina A.G., Cano-López M., Pardo-Mínguez F., López-Roca, J.M., Plaza E. (2008). Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, 14, 63–70.
3. Chira K., Teissedre P.L. (2013). European Food Research and Technology, 236, 735–746.
4. Hernández-Orte P., Franco E., González-Huerta C., Martínez-García J., Cabellos M., Suberviola J., Orriols I., Cacho J. (2014). Food Research International, 57, 234–241.
5. Gómez-García-Carpintero E., Gómez-Gallego M.A., Sánchez-Palomo E., González Viñas M.A. (2012). Food Chemistry, 134, 851–863.

DOI:

Publication date: February 9, 2024

Issue: OENO Macrowine 2023

Type: Poster

Authors

Ignasi Solé-Clua¹, Pol Giménez¹, Arnau Just-Borras¹, Jordi Gombau¹, Adela Mena², Esteban García-Romero², Thomas Giordanen-go³, Thomas Bioulou³, Nicolas Mourey³, Joan Miquel Canals¹, Fernando Zamora1*

1. Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Facultat d’Enologia de Tarragona, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, C/Marcel.li Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
2. Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal de Castilla-La Mancha (IRIAF), IVI CAM, Ctra. Toledo-Albacete s/n. 13700, Tomelloso, Ciudad Real, Spain
3. R&D Tonnellerie Radoux – Pronektar, Sciage du Berry, ZA des Noraies, 36290 Mézières-en-Brenne, France

Contact the author*

Keywords

Oak alternatives, Thickness, wine composition, quality

Tags

IVES Conference Series | oeno macrowine 2023 | oeno-macrowine

Citation

Related articles…

SENSORY PROPERTIES IMPORTANT TO AUSTRALIAN FINE WINE CONSUMER SEGMENT PERCEPTION OF CHARDONNAY WINE COMPLEXITY AND PREFERENCE

Wine complexity is considered a multidimensional yet equivocal sensory percept. This project uncovered sensory attributes Australian Chardonnay wine consumers associate with Chardonnay wine complexity
and correlations between expert and consumer perceived wine complexity and preference. A
wine consumer test examined 6 Australian Chardonnay wines of three complexity levels designated low (LC1&2), medium (MC1&2), and high (HC1&2) by an expert panel (n = 8) using a benchtop sensory task. Consumers (n = 81) rated their perceived liking using a 9-point hedonic scale; wine complexity with a 5-point scale anchored “low”, “low-medium”, “medium”, “medium-high”, and “high” and lastly, profiled the wines using Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA). Psychographic segmentation with the Fine Wine Instrument
(FWI) generated three segments; Wine Enthusiasts (WE n=29), Aspirants (ASP n=40) and No- Frills (NF n=12).

Read More

VOLATILE AND GLYCOSYLATED MARKERS OF SMOKE IMPACT: EVOLUTION IN BOTTLED WINE

Smoke impact in wines is caused by a wide range of volatile phenols found in wildfire smoke. These compounds are absorbed and accumulate in berries, where they may also become glycosylated. Both volatile and glycosylated forms eventually end up in wine where they can cause off-flavors. The impact on wine aroma is mainly attributed to volatile phenols, while in-mouth hydrolysis of glycosylated forms may be responsible for long-lasting “ashy” aftertastes (1).

Read More

ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION AND COLOR OF ROSÉ WINES: INVESTIGATIONS ON THE MECHANISMS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH DIVERSITY

Color is one of the key elements for the marketing of rosé wines due to their packaging in transparent bottles. Their broad color range is due to the presence of pigments belonging to phenolic compounds extracted from grapes or formed during the wine-making process. However, the mechanisms responsible for such diversity are poorly understood. The few investigations performed on rosé wines showed that their phenolic composition is highly variable, close to that of red wines for the darkest rosés but very different for light ones [1]. Moreover, large variations in the extent of color loss taking place during fermentation have been reported but the mechanisms involved and causes of such variability are unknown.

Read More

OENOLOGICAL AND SUSTAINABILITY POTENTIAL OF WINES PRODUCED FROM DISEASE RESISTANT GRAPE CULTIVARS (PIWI WINES)

The strategy for sustainability in the wine sector of the EU refers to a set of practices and principles that aim to minimize the negative impact of wine production on the environment, social and economic sustainability. Sustainable wine production involves a range of practices that are designed to reduce waste, conserve resources, and promote the well-being of workers and communities.

Read More

VOLATILE, PHENOLIC AND COLORIMETRIC CHARACTERIZATION OF THREE DIFFERENT LAMBRUSCO APPELLATIONS

Lambrusco is a commercially successful sparkling red and rosé wine. With 13.06 million litres sold in 2021 was the second best-selling Italian wine after Chianti. According to National Catalogue of Vine Varieties there are thirteen Lambrusco Varieties with which to date are produced seven PDO wines. Among these, “Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce”, “Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro” and “Lambrusco di Sorbara” are the only ones that can be considered mono-varietal appellations, all located in Modena area. The PDOs contemplate the possibility of producing wines by secondary fermentation either in tank (Charmat method), or in bottle (Classico method). Sur lie is a third method commonly employed for Lambrusco, similar to the Classico method, from which differs for the absence of disgorgement.

Read More