Macrowine 2021
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 The effect of ultrasounds in syrah wine quality is not dependent on the ripening or sanitary status of the grapes

The effect of ultrasounds in syrah wine quality is not dependent on the ripening or sanitary status of the grapes

Abstract

Different studies have demonstrated that the application of ultrasounds (US) to crushed grapes improves chromatic characteristics of the wines (1,2), increases their polysaccharide content (3) and some aroma compounds are also favored (4,5). The US facilitate the extractability of phenolic compounds from grapes to must-wine, due to the erosion of the skin cell walls caused by the ultrasound-generated cavitation bubbles. It is also known that phenolic extractability increases during grape ripening due to the natural degradation of the cell walls during a maturation progresses, the cell walls being thicker and more rigid in the less ripen grapes. Our objective is to determine if the application of US to grapes of different maturity level leads to the same positive outcome as regards chromatic, phenolic and aroma compounds and sensory properties. Moreover, sometimes, during the late ripening status and due to adverse climatic conditions, some level of botrytis contamination may appear in the grapes and the effect of US in this partially botrytised harvest have not been discussed. The trials were carried out with Syrah grapes at two different ripening levels (12 and 14ºBaume) and with the most ripen grapes, grapes with two different sanitary status were treated, healthy grapes and 25% botritized grapes, treating 200 kg of each type of grapes with a semi-industrial scale high power ultrasound equipment working a sonication frequency of 30kHz. Physicochemical and chromatic parameters were analyzed by spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography and volatile compounds by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Also a sensory analysis of the wines at the moment of bottling was conducted. The results showed that, independently of the grapes ripening or sanitary status, the application of US to crushed grapes led to wines with improved chromatic characteristics, the volatile compounds concentration being less affected, although the sensory analysis showed clear differences, the wines made from sonicated grapes being preferred and reaching higher scores in most of the sensory parameters evaluated. In conclusion, this study on a semi-industrial scale demonstrated that the application of US to Syrah grapes improves the organoleptic characteristics in wine. The positive effect also observed in the less ripen grapes lead us to consider the sonication of the grapes as a tool for reducing wine alcohol content by harvesting less ripen grapes since the lack of natural phenolic extractability may be compensated by the sonication of the grapes.

DOI:

Publication date: September 10, 2021

Issue: Macrowine 2021

Type: Article

Authors

Encarna Gómez-Plaza

University of Murcia,Andrea Osete-Alcaraz, University of Murcia Paula Pérez-Porras, University of Murcia Pilar Martínez-Pérez, University of Murcia Ricardo Jurado, Agrovin S.A. Ana Belén Bautista-Ortín, University of Murcia

Contact the author

Keywords

wine, grape, ultrasounds, ripening, phenolic compounds, aroma compounds, sensory analysis, botrytis

Citation

Related articles…

Impact of genotypic variability on grapevine architecture and light interception: A functional-structural modelling approach

Aerial architecture plays a key role in plant functioning as it affects light interception and microclimate. In grapevine, this architecture is primarily shaped by winter pruning and further adjusted through practices such as leaf thinning and topping during the growth cycle.

Biodiversity in the vineyard agroecosystem: exploring systemic approaches

Biodiversity conservation and restoration are essential for guarantee the provision of ecosystem services associated to vineyard agroecosystem such as climate regulation trough carbon sequestration and control of pests and diseases. Most of published research dealing with the complexity of the vineyard agroecosystems emphasizes the necessity of innovative approaches, including the integration of information at different temporal and spatial scales and development of systemic analysis based on modelling. A biodiversity survey was conducted in the Franciacorta wine-growing area (Lombardy, Italy), one of the most important Italian wine-growing regions for sparkling wine production, considering a portion of the territory of 112 ha. The area was divided into several Environmental Units (EUs), defined as a whole vineyard or portion of vineyard homogenous in terms of four agronomic characteristics: planting year, planting density, cultivar, and training system. In each EU a set of compartments was identified and characterised by specific variables. The compartments are meteorology, morphology (altitude, slope, aspect, row orientation, and solar irradiance), ecological infrastructures and management. The landscape surrounding EU was also characterised in terms of land-use in a buffer zone of 500 m. For each component a specific methodology was identified and applied. Different statistical approaches were used to evaluate the method to integrate the information related to different compartments within the EU and related to the buffer zone. These approaches were also preliminarily evaluated for their ability to describe the contribution of biodiversity and landscape components to ecosystem services. This methodological exploration provides useful indication for the development of a fully systemic approach to structural and functional biodiversity in vineyard agroecosystems, contributing to promote a multifunctional perspective for the all wine-growing sector.

Know thy enemy: oxygen or storage temperature?

It is well known that high oxygen levels and high ageing temperatures are detrimental to white wine’s composition and ageing capacity. However, these results, though valuable

Indicators of Sustainable Vineyard Soil Management: Metrics for Assessing Environmental Impacts

The vital role of soils in supporting life on our planet cannot be overstated. Soils provide numerous ecosystem services and functions, including biomass production, carbon sequestration, physical support, biological habitat, and genetic reserve, among others. Understanding the characteristics and sensitivity of soils in a specific terroir, along with effective soil management practices, is crucial for the sustainable management of natural resources.

New oenological criteria for selecting strains of Lachancea thermotolerans for wine technology

The study conducted various fermentations of different grape juices using various strains of Lachancea thermotolerans and one strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Because of the new conditions caused by climate change, wine acidity must be influenced as well as the volatile profile. Non-Saccharomyces yeasts such as L. thermotolerans are real options to mitigate the impact of climate change in wine production.