Enoforum 2021
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Enoforum Web 9 Enoforum Web Conference 2021 9 Cellar session 9 Use of ultrasounds to accelerate aging on lees of red wines

Use of ultrasounds to accelerate aging on lees of red wines

Abstract

Aging on lees (AOL) is a powerful technique to protect varietal aroma and color. Simultaneously, helps to soften tannins and increase and improve wine body and structure. AOL is complementary to barrel aging modulating the wood impact and protecting wine from oxidative conditions. The main drawback is that the yeast autolysis developed during AOL is a slow process, taking at least one year to produce the degradation of cell structures and the significant release of yeast polysaccharides and other cell components to modify the sensory profile of wine. This process can be accelerated by using enzymes or thermal treatments and also using non-Saccharomyces yeasts. The use of ultrasounds (USs) is an alternative technology to break the yeast cells and to speed the autolysis process. US are high intensity sound waves that by cavitation, local heating produce the disruption of the cells and the extraction and release of proteins, polysaccharides, and other cell components. When USs are used directly in wines under AOL the thermal collateral effects produce undesired oxidations and affect wine quality even when the release of cell wall polysaccharides is accelerated. The application of USs to yeast biomasses exogenically produced help to overwhelm this inconvenience. Cell breakage and disaggregation is produced in a few minutes by using US and therefore facilitating a faster AOL process. US can be a useful technology to improve and accelerate the AOL of red wines.

DOI:

Publication date: April 23, 2021

Issue: Enoforum 2021

Type: Article

Authors

Antonio MORATA1*, Juan Manuel del Fresno1, Iris Loira1, Rafael Cuerda2, Carmen González1, José Antonio Suárez Lepe1

1 enotecUPM, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
2 Comenge Cellars, Curiel de Duero, Valladolid, Spain

Contact the author

Tags

Enoforum 2021 | IVES Conference Series

Citation

Related articles…

Stable or dynamic? How phenotypic plasticity could be key to select for grapevine adaptation?

Climate change will require the adaptation of agricultural systems and among the different means of adaptation, changing plant material is a promising strategy. In viticulture, different levels of diversity are currently exploited: clonal and varietal diversity for rootstocks and scions. A huge quantity of research aims to evaluate different genotypes in different environmental conditions to identify which ones are the best adapted and the most tolerant to future environmental conditions.

White grape must processed by UHPH as an alternative to SO2 addition: Effect on the phenolic composition in three varieties

The quantity and distribution of polyphenols in musts play a fundamental role in the white winemaking. This is because these substances are exposed to oxidation reactions, which are catalysed by the polyphenol oxidase (PPO), leading to a decrease in the quality of the wines produced. PPO is inactivated by SO2, but currently, due to the restrictions of the legislation, other methodologies are being investigated. Ultra-High Pressure Homogenization (UHPH) is a non-thermal physic technology that exerts an ultrahigh pressure pumping (>200 MPa) of a fluid through a valve in a continuous system.

Immunotestπ: a new test for the determination of proteic stability in white and rosé wines

Proteic haze is a problem which may occur in all fruit-based beverages and fermented juices (beer, cider, wine). When it occurs, the economic loss is important.

Kimmeridgian age in Chablis: a geological argument for the social building of a terroir

Situated at the beginning of the 20th century on the territory of the Chablis municipality, delimited according to specialists of the time to plots of “kimmeridgian” origin, the vineyard producing Chablis

Grape must quality and mesoclimatic variability in Fruška Gora wine-growing region, Serbia

The Fruška Gora mountain is a traditional wine-growing region in Serbia situated in the Pannonian Basin. Due to such a position, the vicinity of the Danube River and the presence of concave configuration, it is suitable for grape production. This paper provides analyses of spatial variations in meteorological parameters and grape juice quality within Fruška Gora wine region over three consecutive vintages (2018-2020). The examined period can be defined as warm with cool nights during September (AVG 18,9°C; GDD 1918°C; CI 12°CF) and with the presence of mesoclimatic variability. The East part of the study area was somewhat drier and hotter compared to other parts of the region. The analyses of grape must samples (190 in total) of five cultivars (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc and Grašac (Welschriesling)) commonly grown across the region (19 sites), were performed using Fourier Transform Infrared Technology (FTIR). Among all cultivars, Sauvignon blanc was harvested first in the East area (DOY=246±5, GDD at harvest=1552±74, 22.2±0.7 °Brix), while the latest harvest was recorded for Cabernet-Sauvignon in the West (DOY=283±5, GDD at harvest=1936±187, 23.4±1.0 °Brix ). Both the red and white cultivars had higher acidity and YAN in the grape must if the vines were grown in the North and East compared to South and West areas. According to PCA analysis, Grašac showed the lowest variation in grape must chemical composition. Thus, the results confirm that Grašac is the most stable cultivar in Fruška Gora. All monitored cultivars reached technological fruit ripeness by the end of the growing season. However, it was difficult to reach full ripeness of red cultivars, mostly beacuse of uncoupling of technolocical and phenolic ripeness. Thus, Cabernet-Sauvignon had higher variations in GDD sums at harvest compared to other cultivars, which probably increased variations in grape must quality.