Impact of different dealcoholisation technologies on the volatile composition, sensory profiles, and consumer preference of Riesling and Pinot noir wines

Abstract

The increasing consumer demand for high-quality alcohol-free wines has necessitated a deeper understanding of how dealcoholisation affects the complex matrix of wine. This study investigates the influence of three distinct technologies—vacuum distillation (VD), spinning cone column (SCC), and vacuum distillation with aroma recovery (VD-AR)—on the aromatic composition and sensory perception of Riesling, Pinot noir rosé, and Pinot noir red wine. To evaluate the chemical impact, volatile compounds were analysed using targeted headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). Sensory evaluation was conducted through a consumer preference test, complemented by descriptive analysis from a panel of wine experts. The analytical results revealed that both VD and SCC significantly reduced the concentrations of secondary aromas, such as fermentation-derived esters and alcohols. However, wines processed via VD-AR retained significantly higher levels of fruity esters. Notably, grape-derived compounds, including 3-mercapto-1-hexanol and beta-damascenone, remained above their respective odor thresholds across all treatments, preserving a degree of varietal character. Sensory findings indicated that consumer preference is not dictated by a single superior technology but is highly dependent on the wine type and grape variety. For Riesling, VD-AR was significantly preferred. Expert descriptions and analysis of volatile aroma compounds suggested that the preservation of fruity attributes in VD-AR successfully masked off-flavors from higher alcohols that were more prominent in the wines dealcoholised by VD. For Pinot noir rosé, both SCC and VD-AR were favored by experts and consumers alike. In contrast, no significant differences in preference or quality ratings were observed for the Pinot noir red wines, indicating that the red wine matrix may be more resilient to changes in wine compounds during processing. Overall, these results yield to a better understanding of consumer and expert evaluations of dealcoholised wines produced using different dealcoholisation methods.