Assessing the effect of oak derived aromas on mouthfeel perception in Chardonnay wine

Vineyard exposure to smoke can lead to grapes and wine which exhibit objectionable smoky and ashy aromas and flavours, more commonly known as ‘smoke taint’ [1, 2]. In the last decade, significant bushfires have occurred around the world, including near wine regions in Australia, Canada, South Africa and the USA, as a consequence of the warmer, drier conditions associated with climate change. Considerable research has subsequently been undertaken to determine the chemical, sensory and physiological consequences of grapevine exposure to smoke. The sensory attributes associated with smoke-tainted wine have been linked to the presence of several smoke-derived volatile phenols, such as guaiacols, syringols and cresols [2].

The use of bentonite in oenology rounds around the limpidity and the stability that determine consumer acceptability. As a matter of fact, the haze formation in wine reduces its commercial value and makes it unacceptable for sale. Stabilization treatments are, therefore, essential to ensure a long-time limpidity and to forecast the formation of deposits in the bottle. Bentonite that is normally used in oenology for clarifying-fining purpose, shows a natural clay-based mineral structure allowing it to swell and to jelly in water and hence in must and wine.

Red grape pomace, a waste from wine production, can be valorised by extracting polyphenols, high-added value compounds used in cosmetics or oenology. For use at an industrial level, using green extraction techniques, pomace need to be stored before being processed. The aim of this study is to test various storage conditions in order to maintain high level of polyphenols over 180 days, while keeping storage cost economically interesting. In a first step, different storage conditions (ambient temperature or cooled (4°C) temperature, anaerobic (saturation with N2) or aerobic conditions, and addition of sulphur dioxide (SO2)) were compared on small samples (1 kg) packed in plastic pockets. The quality of storage was assessed by following the optical density of the pomace extract at 280 nm (DO 280 expressed as mg/l eq gallic acid), which is an indication of the amount of remaining extractable polyphenols.

Since 2012, EU Commission approved compulsory labeling of wines treated with allergenic additives or processing aids “if their presence can be detected in the final product” (EU Commission Implementing Regulation No. 579/2012 of 29 June 2012). The list of potential allergens to be indicated on wine labels comprises sulphur dioxide and milk- and egg- derived fining agents, including hen egg lysozyme, which is usually added in wines as preservative. In some non-EU countries, the list includes gluten, tree nuts and fish gelatins. With the exception of lysozyme, all these fining proteins were long thought to be totally removed by subsequent winemaking processings (e.g. bentonite addition).

For characterization, sensory designing and authentication rapid analytical technologies have become available. Some, like Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry allow a rapid spectrum of the volatile compounds of wines. Combined with chemometrics wines can be characterized. The same approach can be used to calculate the results of virtual mixtures and allow formulation of constant quality blends. Other new techniques and portable devices based on spectroscopy allow measurements on production sites and in grocery stores, even for the smart consumer. We will present some examples of the application of these techniques for authentication of wines, both in the laboratory and on site.