Macrowine 2021
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Impact of acidification by fumaric acid at vatting on Cabernet-Sauvignon wine during winemaking

Impact of acidification by fumaric acid at vatting on Cabernet-Sauvignon wine during winemaking

Abstract

AIM. Acidity of grape berries is lowered due to climate changes (1), resulting in musts and wines with higher pHs. These higher pHs induce microbiological instability and chemical modifications with damageable consequences on the color and the organoleptic qualities of the wines (2). To acidify musts, OIV authorizes different approaches such as the use of cation exchangers, treatment by electromembrane, microbiological acidification and chemical acidification. Chemical acidification, the most common, refers to the addition of lactic, malic and tartaric acids. Fumaric acid, known for its high acidifying power, its antimicrobial properties (3,4) but also its high availability, could be a good alternative to acidify musts chemically. Therefore, the present study aims at evaluating the impact of fumaric acid addition at vatting on wine quality in comparison with tartaric acid addition.

METHODS. Micro-winemakings were conducted with mature Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Two treatments were applied at vatting in duplicate: 1.5g/L tartaric acid (TA) and 1.5g/L TA eq. fumaric acid. Three vats were untreated (controls). Oenological (pH, total acidity, tartaric, malic and lactic acids) and color (CIELAB) parameters, phenolic compounds (total polyphenol index, Folin-Ciocalteu, total free anthocyanins and total tannins) and antioxidant capacities (DPPH, CUPRAC, ORAC) were evaluated at vatting, end of alcoholic fermentation (AF) and malolactic fermentation (MLF). A ranking test and sensory profiles were realized on three-months wines after bottling.

RESULTS. Acid addition at vatting induced an immediate decrease of pH, an increase of total acidity and a change of color but at the end of MLF these changes were attenuated and even disappeared. Total phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacities in post-MLF wines were not or slightly affected by acidification. The major difference was observed for malolactic acid production during MLF. Indeed, wines treated with fumaric acid produced 20% more lactic acid than control and TA-acidified wines. 

CONCLUSIONS

Addition of FA at 1.5g/L tartaric acid eq. during vatting induced a 20% increased production of lactic acid in wine which did not allow a pH decrease or an increase of total acidity in resulting wine compared to control wine. To acidify wines, acid fumaric should be added at another step of winemaking. A current study is investigating FA addition at the end of AF and just before bottling.

DOI:

Publication date: September 14, 2021

Issue: Macrowine 2021

Type: Article

Authors

Anne-Laure Gancel

Unité de recherche Œnologie, EA 4577, USC 1366 INRA, ISVV, Université de Bordeaux, F33882 Villenave d’Ornon, France,Claire PAYAN, Unité de recherche Œnologie, EA 4577, USC 1366 INRA, ISVV, Université de Bordeaux, F33882 Villenave d’Ornon, France and Hochschule Geisenheim University von Lade Straße, 65366 Geisenheim, Germany  Monika CHRISTMANN, Hochschule Geisenheim University von Lade Straße, 65366 Geisenheim, Germany  Pierre-Louis TEISSEDRE, Unité de recherche Œnologie, EA 4577, USC 1366 INRA, ISVV, Université de Bordeaux, F33882 Villenave d’Ornon, France

Contact the author

Keywords

chemical acidification, fumaric acid, color, phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity, sensory analysis

Citation

Related articles…

Does the sustainability perception depend on the Terroir?

The main scope of this research has been to investigate what values are attributed to the concept of “sustainability” by the wine producers of two different wine territories of Piedmont; the terroir of the Barolo DOCG and the the terroir of the Gavi DOCG. The research wants to emphasize how much the characteristic elements of each terroir influence the perception of the concept of sustainability among producers.

Tasting soils in Pinot noir wines of the Willamette valley, Oregon

The conventional wisdom of vintners is that alkalinity, and thus less sour and more rounded taste, are enhanced in wine and grapes challenged by low-nutrient soils.

Defining the terroir of the Columbia gorge wine region, Oregon and Washington, USA using geographic information systems (GIS)

The Columbia Gorge Wine Region (CGWR) extends for about 100km along the Columbia River and includes the Columbia Gorge American Viticultural Area (AVA) and the southwest portion of the Columbia Valley AVA.

qNMR metabolomics a tool for wine authenticity and winemaking processes discrimination

qNMR Metabolomic applied to wine offers many possibilities. The first application that is increasingly being studied is the authentication of wines through environmental factors such as geographical origin, grape variety or vintage (Gougeon et al., 2019).

Grapevine cane pruning extract enhances plant physiological capacities and decreases phenolic accumulation in canes and leaves 

Vine cane extracts are a valuable byproduct due to their rich content of polyphenols, vitamins, and other beneficial compounds, which can affect and benefit the vine and the grapes. This study aims to evaluate the response of grapevine plants to irrigation with water supplemented with a vine cane extract, both at physiology response and phenolic composition in different parts of the plant (root, trunk, shoot, leaf, and berry).
Cane extract was obtained by macerating crushed pruning residues with warm water (5:1) and pectolytic enzymes. Two-year-old potted plants were irrigated with water (Control) while others were irrigated with cane extracts, either at 1:4 (w/v, cane extract/water; T 1:4) or at 1:8 (w/v, cane extract/water; T 1:8).