Enoforum 2021
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Enoforum Web 9 Enoforum Web Conference 2021 9 Impact of climate change on the aroma of red wines: a focus on dried fruit aromas

Impact of climate change on the aroma of red wines: a focus on dried fruit aromas

Abstract

The volatile composition of grapes (free and bound forms) contributes greatly to the varietal aroma and quality of wines. Several agronomical parameters affect grapes composition and wine quality: maturity level at harvest, water status, and the intensity of sun exposure. Of course vinification of non-healthy grapes can induce off-flavors in the wine. All these parameters are strongly linked with the climate (meso or micro), and its modification may induce strong modification of the grape composition. In this context, several studies were run these last years to study the origin of the dried fruit flavors (DF, prunes and dried figs) detected in must and young red wines. Indeed, these nuances are becoming more and more frequent in young wines, especially those made from Merlot grapes.

The aroma compound composition of Merlot (M) and Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) musts and wines was investigated to identify specific molecular markers responsible for DF. Organic extracts were prepared and analyzed by GC-O-MS. Furaneol (1), homofuraneol (2), γ -nonalactone (3), 3-methyl-2,4-nonanedione (4), (Z)-1,5-octadien-3-one (5), δ-decalactone (6), and massoia lactone (7) were detected at high concentrations (higher than their individual detection thresholds) in musts or wines marked by DF aromas. Certain molecular markers of DF aromas were specific to musts or wines. Reconstitution experiments revealed that a specific mixture of compounds (1-4) expressed these aromas in red wines. Additional experiments conducted with 180 wine consumers revealed how the level of these compounds might modify their willingness to pay (WP).

DOI:

Publication date: April 23, 2021

Issue: Enoforum 2021

Type: Article

Authors

Alexandre Pons

Unité de recherche Oenologie – EA 4577 – USC 1366 INRA – ISVV – Univ. de Bordeaux, Villenave-d’Ornon – France

Contact the author

Tags

Enoforum 2021 | IVES Conference Series

Citation

Related articles…

Proposition of a simplified approach of the viticultural landscape

Une approche très simple de la lecture des paysages est proposée sur la base de l’expérience acquise par l’observation de divers terroirs du monde.

Étude de la flore levurienne de différents terroirs alsaciens

L’utilisation de levures sélectionnées est généralement considérée comme le moyen d’éviter les problèmes fermentaires. Néanmoins de nombreux viticulteurs pensent que ces levures sont à l’origine d’une standardisation des vins et militent pour le respect d’une flore indigène (Bourguignon, 1992).

On the losses of dissolved CO2 from laser-etched champagne glasses under standard tasting conditions

Under standard champagne tasting conditions, the complex interplay between the level of dissolved CO2 found in champagne, its temperature, the glass shape, and the bubbling rate, definitely impacts champagne tasting by modifying the neuro-physico-chemical mechanisms responsible for aroma release and flavor perception. Based on theoretical principles combining heterogeneous bubble nucleation, ascending bubble dynamics and mass transfer equations, a global model is proposed (depending on various parameters of both the wine and the glass itself), which quantitatively provides the progressive losses of dissolved CO2 from laser-etched champagne glasses.

IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL CHEMICAL MARKERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PERMISSIVENESS OF BORDEAUX RED WINES AGAINST BRETTANOMYCES BRUXELLENSIS USING UNTARGETED METABOLOMICS

All along the red winemaking process, many microorganisms develop in wine, some being beneficial and essential, others being feared spoilers. One of the most feared microbial enemy of wine all around the world is Brettanomyces bruxellensis. Indeed, in red wines, this yeast produces volatile phenols, molecules associated with a flavor described as “horse sweat”, “burnt plastic” or “leather”. To produce significant and detectable concentrations of these undesired molecules, the yeasts should first grow and become numerous enough. Even if the genetic group of the strain present and the cellar temperature may modulate the yeast growth rate¹ and thus the risk of spoilage, the main factor seems to be the wines themselves, some being much more permissive to B. bruxellensis development than others.

Typology of Terroirs around the world

It seems implausible that the geographical development of the vineyards could have been affected by a shift in the positions of the Earth’continents