Macrowine 2021
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 The role and quantification of vitamins in wine: what do we know?

The role and quantification of vitamins in wine: what do we know?

Abstract

AIM: Vitamins are essential compounds to numerous organisms, including yeasts, and appear highly significant during winemaking processes. Acting as cofactors in major yeast metabolic pathways, such as those of alcohols, amino acids and fatty acids, it appears very likely that their involvement in fermentation courses, as well as in the development of aromatic compounds in wine is consequential.

METHODS: Numerous assays have been developed to determine and quantify vitaminic contents in grape musts and wines. Microbial assays, relying on the specific growth requirements of selected microorganisms, were the earliest methods used pursuing this goal, however poorly precise and accurate. Methods relying on vitamin properties, such as acid titrations and spectrophotometry have also been used to quantify vitamins in grape musts and wines, although they require specific physicochemical properties, and do not allow for simultaneous determination of several vitamin groups.

RESULTS: As a consequence, contemporary techniques, such as chromatography-based methods, stand as efficient means to quantify vitamins in grape musts. However, no method has recently been developed to assay vitamin contents in this specific matrix. Similarly, assays relying on spectroscopy and electrophoresis, proved efficient in simultaneously quantifying vitamins in several fruit matrixes, appear promising for extension towards the grape must and wine matrixes. In addition, winemaking processes, such as the addition of sulfites or clarifying agents, or vatting lengths have been shown to significantly impact vitamin contents.

CONCLUSION

The development of more methods to quantify vitamins in grape musts, relying on more sensitive and precise recent analytical techniques could offer ground for a broad range of prospects in the wine science field. Such developments could support better comprehensions of yeast requirements during winemaking, and allow for finer modulations of the processes, as well as elucidate the role of vitamins in the development of aroma in wines

DOI:

Publication date: September 7, 2021

Issue: Macrowine 2021

Type: Article

Authors

Marie Sarah Evers

University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, AgroSup Dijon, PAM UMR A 02.102, VAlMiS-Institut Universitaire de la Vigne et du Vin, 2 rue Claude Ladrey, 21000 Dijon, France SAS Sofralab, 79, Avenue A.A. Thévenet, BP 1031, Magenta, France,Chloé ROULLIER-GALL, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, AgroSup Dijon, PAM UMR A 02.102, VAlMiS-Institut Universitaire de la Vigne et du Vin, 2 rue Claude Ladrey, 21000 Dijon, France Christophe MORGE, SAS Sofralab, 79, Avenue A.A. Thévenet, BP 1031, Magenta, France Celine SPARROW, SAS Sofralab, 79, Avenue A.A. Thévenet, BP 1031, Magenta, France Antoine GOBERT, SAS Sofralab, 79, Avenue A.A. Thévenet, BP 1031, Magenta, France Hervé ALEXANDRE, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté, AgroSup Dijon, PAM UMR A 02.102, VAlMiS-Institut Universitaire de la Vigne et du Vin, 2 rue Claude Ladrey, 21000 Dijon, France

Contact the author

Keywords

vitamins ; fermentation ; enology ; yeasts ; metabolism

Citation

Related articles…

Influence of weather and climatic conditions on the viticultural production in Croatia

The research includes an analysis of the impact of weather conditions on phenological development of the vine and grape quality, through monitoring of four experimental cultivars (Chardonnay, Graševina, Merlot and Plavac mali) over two production years. In each experimental vineyard, which were evenly distributed throughout the regions of Slavonia and The Croatian Danube, Croatian Uplands,

Analysis of Cabernet Sauvignon and Aglianico winegrape (V. vinifera L.) responses to different pedo-climatic environments in southern Italy

Water deficit is one of the most important effects of climate change able to affect agricultural sectors. In general, it determines a reduction in biomass production, and for some plants, as in the case of grapevine, it can endorse fruit quality. The monitoring and management of plant water stress in the vineyard

Revealing the Barossa zone sub-divisions through sensory and chemical analysis of Shiraz wine

The Barossa zone is arguably one of the most well-recognised wine producing regions in Australia and internationally; known mainly for the production of its distinct Shiraz wines. However, within the broad Barossa geographical delimitation, a variation in terroir can be perceived and is expressed as sensorial and chemical profile differences between wines. This study aimed to explore the sub-division classification across the Barossa region using chemical and sensory measurements. Shiraz grapes from 4 different vintages and different vineyards across the Barossa (2018, n = 69; 2019, n = 72; 2020, n = 79; 2021, n = 64) were harvested and made using a standardised small lot winemaking procedure. The analysis involved a sensory descriptive analysis with a highly trained panel and chemical measurement including basic chemistry (e.g. pH, TA, alcohol content, total SO2), phenolic composition, volatile compounds, metals, proline, and polysaccharides. The datasets were combined and analysed through an unsupervised, clustering analysis. Firstly, each vintage was considered separately to investigate any vintage to vintage variation. The datasets were then combined and analysed as a whole. The number of sub-divisions based on the measurements were identified and characterised with their sensory and chemical profile and some consistencies were seen between the vintages. Preliminary analysis of the sensory results showed that in most vintages, two major groups could be identified characterised with one group showing a fruit-forward profile and another displaying savoury and cooked vegetables characters. The exploration of distinct profiles arising from the Barossa wine producing region will provide producers with valuable information about the regional potential of their wine assisting with tools to increase their target market and reputation. This study will also provide a robust and comprehensive basis to determine the distinctive terroir characteristics which exist within the Barossa wine producing region.

Impact of climate change on the viticultural climate of the Protected Designation of Origin “Jumilla” (SE Spain)

Protected Designation of Origin “Jumilla” (PDO Jumilla) is located in the Spanish provinces of Albacete and Murcia, in the South-eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula, where most of the models predict a severe impact of climate change in next decades. PDO Jumilla covers an area of 247,054 hectares, of which more than 22,000 hectares

Rapid damage assessment and grapevine recovery after fire

There is increasing scientific consensus that climate changeis the underlying cause of the prolonged dry and hot conditions that have increased the risk of extreme fire weather in many countries around the world. In December 2019, a bushfire event occurred in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia where 25,000 hectares were burnt and in vineyards and surrounding areas various degrees of scorching and infrastructure damage occurred. The ability to coordinate and plan recovery after a fire event relies on robust and timely data. The current practice for measuring the scale and distribution of fire damage is to walk or drive the vineyard and score individual vines based on visual observation. The process is time consuming, subjective, or semi-quantitative at best. After the December 2019 fires, it took many months to access properties and estimate the area of vineyard damaged. This study compares the rapid assessment and mapping of fire damage using high-resolution satellite imagery with more traditional ground based measures. Satellite imagery tracking vineyard recovery in the season following the bushfire is being correlated to field assessments of vineyard productivity such as canopy health and development, fertility and carbohydrate storage. Canopy health in the seasons following the fires correlated to the severity of the initial fire damage. Severely damaged vines had reduced canopy growth, were infertile or had very low fertility as well as lower carbohydrate levels in buds and canes during dormancy, which reduced productivity in the seasons following the bushfire event. In contrast, vines that received minor damage were able to recover within 1-2 years. Tools that rapidly and affordably capture the extent and severity of damage over large vineyard area will allow producers, government and industry bodies to manage decisions in relation to fire recovery planning, coordination and delivery, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of their response.