Macrowine 2021
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Influence of the different cork stoppers and sulfur dose in champagne quality

Influence of the different cork stoppers and sulfur dose in champagne quality

Abstract

As is well known, Champagne is a product of the highest quality recognized in the international market. Champagne is a type of sparkling wine made in the Champagne region (France) using the traditional method of champenoise. Aging in the bottle is the final stage before being consumed, and it is considered a time of maturation in which many chemical and sensory changes occur (1). In addition, the stoppers have a very important influence on the quality of the product during bottle aging (2). Today there are different types of corks with different types of oxygen permeabilities (3). This oxygen transfer rate (OTR) through the cork can cause changes in the color, in the aromatic composition and in the organoleptic sensations of the Champagne, causing a loss of its quality (3, 4). For all these reasons, the main objective of this work is to evaluate the effect of different types of cork stoppers in Champagne with different doses of sulfur (added in bottling) for a year. To carry out the study, five types of corks (C1, C2, C3, C4 and C5) with increasing OTRs values and the control with sheet metal closure (Control), and three different doses of sulfur (0, 10 and 20 mg/L) were used. Of all of them, the basic parameters, color and Cielab coordinates, CO2 pressure, aromatic composition (fermentative, oxidative and reduction aromas), and sensory analysis were analyzed at each of the four sampling points. The analysis times were after bottling (T0) and after 3, 6, 12 months of aging in the bottle (T3, T6, T12). The results showed that the parameter ‘time’ was the main factor in producing differences between the samples, followed by the doses of sulfur and type of cork. In general, the basic parameters of champagne did not show significant differences except for total sulfur content. In general, the color, the CO2 parameters and especially the aromatic composition changed over time, showing the main changes after 12 months in the bottle. The fermentation aromas were decreasing, and the oxidation and reduction aromas were increasing over time. The samples with the highest dose of sulfur (20 mg/L) were less evolved, however they showed greater reductions. In addition, C5 and C3 corks with were the corks that best preserved Champagne in relation to the preservation of fermentative aromas, and in achieving a better balance between oxidation-reduction conditions, after 12 months of aging. However, the C2 was the cork that had the worst preservation of fermentative aromas and the greatest oxidation caused the Champagne. Finally, the sensory analysis on time 12 months corroborated analytics, the best valued Champagne being those closed with C3 and C5 corks, and the worst with C2. Therefore, a good choice about the type of cork and the dose of sulfur in bottling can prolong its optimal moment of consumption in time, while preserving its quality.

DOI:

Publication date: September 14, 2021

Issue: Macrowine 2021

Type: Article

Authors

Ana Maria Mislata 

1. VITEC – Centre Tecnològic del Vi, Ctra. Porrera Km 1, 43730 Falset (Tarragona), Spain 2. Instrumental Sensometry (i-Sens), Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic  Chemistry, Campus Sescelades, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, 43007, Spain ,Michelle Rodríguez 2; Christophe Loisel 3; Miquel Puxeu 1; Enric Nart 1; Sergi De Lamo 1; Montserrat Mestres 2 and Raúl Ferrer-Gallego 1  1. VITEC – Centre Tecnològic del Vi, Ctra. Porrera Km.1, 43730 Falset (Tarragona), Spain 2. Instrumental Sensometry (i-Sens), Department of Analytical Chemistry and Organic  Chemistry, Campus Sescelades, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, 43007, Spain 3. DIAM Bouchage SAS-Espace Tech Ulrich, 66400 Ceret, France

Contact the author

Keywords

champagne, corks, sulfurous, otr, color, aromatic compounds, sensory analysis

Citation

Related articles…

austrianvineyards.com: online viewer of all designations of Austrian wine

To digitally record and present all the origins of Austrian wines in the same perfect and clear way was the motivation for the Austrian Wine Marketing Board (Austrian Wine) to start with the project in 2018. In June 2021 the results were presented to the public in an online viewer showing all the designations of Austrian wine, available at https://austrianvineyards.com in a largely barrier-free manner. The online viewer provides tailored individual maps fitted to the respective zoom level. The smallest unit of wine-origins in Austria is called Ried and is displayed in a plot-specific manner highlighting areas under vine. Information on the Ried include administrative district, winegrowing municipality, cadastral municipality, large collective vineyard site, specific winegrowing region, generic winegrowing region, winegrowing area and, in many cases, an illustrative picture. Complementary data on the size, elevation (minimum-maximum), orientation (in 8 sectors plus flat) and gradient (minimum, maximum, average) are based on the area under vine according to the EU’s Integrated Administration and Control System. Additional information covers climate data. The diagrams are taken from the monthly breakdown of data in the annals of the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics, Austria provide a display of values for air temperature, precipitation, and sunshine hours for the reference year and the long-term average. Seasonal aggregated data on temperature, precipitation, and sunshine hours complete the display. Short descriptions with emphasis on geology and soil, field name in historical maps, etymology of the denomination, and main planted variety complements the available information for the main designations in the online viewer. These descriptions are compiled by winegrowers, geologists, historians, and journalists. All the information and data can be extracted to a pdf-file. Printed vineyard maps are also available. Missing content regarding wine origins in Styria will be completed in winter 2021/22.

Effects of organic mulches on the soil environment and yield of grapevine

Farming management practices aiming at conserving soil moisture have been developed in arid and semiarid-areas facing water scarcity problems. Organic mulching is an effective method to manipulate the crop-growing microclimate increasing crop yield by controlling soil temperature, and retaining soil moisture by reducing soil evaporation. In this sense, the effectiveness of different organic mulching materials (straw mulch and grapevine pruning debris) applied within the row of a vineyard was evaluated on the soil and on the vine in a Tempranillo vineyard located in La Rioja (Spain). Organic mulches were compared with a traditional bare soil management technique (based on the use of herbicides to avoid weed incidence). Mulching coverages favourably influenced the soil water retention throughout all the grapevine vegetative cycle. However, the soil-moisture variation was not the same under different mulching materials, being the straw mulch (SM) the one that retained more water in comparison with grapevine pruning debris (GPD) based-cover. The changes of soil moisture in the upper surface layer (0–10 cm) were highly dynamic, probably due to water vapour fluxes across the soil-atmospheric interface. However, both, SM and GPD reduced these fluctuations as compared with bare soils. A similar trend occurred with soil temperature. Both organic mulches altered soil temperature in comparison with bare soil by reducing soil temperature in summer and raising it in winter. Moreover, the same buffering effect for the temperature on the covered soil also remains in the deeper layers. To conclude, we could see that organic mulching had a positive impact on soil-moisture storage and soil temperature and the extent of this effect depends on the type of mulching materials. These changes led to higher rates of photosynthesis and stomatal conductivity compared to bare soils, also favouring crop growth and grape yields.

Local adaptation tools to ensure the viticultural sustainability in a changing climate

[lwp_divi_breadcrumbs home_text="IVES" use_before_icon="on" before_icon="||divi||400" module_id="publication-ariane" _builder_version="4.19.4" _module_preset="default" module_text_align="center" module_font_size="16px" text_orientation="center"...

Low-cost sensors as a support tool to monitor soil-plant heat exchanges in a Mediterranean vineyard

Mediterranean viticulture is increasingly exposed to more frequent extreme conditions such as heat waves. These extreme events co-occur with low soil water content, high air vapor pressure deficit and high solar radiant energy fluxes and result in leaf and berry sunburn, lower yield, and berry quality, which is a major constraint for the sustainability of the sector. Grape growers must find ways to proper and effectively manage heat waves and extreme canopy and berry temperatures. Irrigation to keep soil moisture levels and enable adequate plant turgor, and convective and evaporative cooling emerged as a key tool to overcome this major challenge. The effects of irrigation on soil and plant water status are easily quantifiable but the impact of irrigation on soil and canopy temperature and on heat convection from soil to cluster zone remain less characterized. Therefore, a more detailed quantification of vineyard heat fluxes is highly relevant to better understand and implement strategies to limit the effects of extreme weather events on grapevine leaf and berry physiology and vineyards performance. Low-cost sensor technologies emerge as an opportunity to improve monitoring and support decision making in viticulture. However, validation of low-cost sensors is mandatory for practical applicability. A two-year study was carried in a vineyard in Alentejo, south of Portugal, using low-cost thermal cameras (FLIR One, 80×60 pixels and FLIR C5, 160×120 pixels, 8-14 µm, FLIR systems, USA) and pocket thermohygrometers (Extech RHT30, EXTECH instruments, USA) to monitor grapevine and soil temperatures. Preliminary results show that low-cost cameras can detect severe water stress and support the evaluation of vertical canopy temperature variability, providing information on soil surface temperature. All these thermal parameters can be relevant for soil and crop management and be used in decision support systems.

The combined effects of climate, soils, and deficit irrigation on yield and quality of Touriga Nacional under high atmospheric demand in the Douro Region

Global warming is one of the biggest environmental, social and economic threats in several viticultural regions. In the Douro Valley, changes are expected in the coming years, namely an increase in temperature and a decrease in precipitation. These changes are likely to have consequences for the production and quality of wine.
The aim of this study was to explore the effects of different soil characteristics combined with several deficit irrigation strategies, managed throughout ETc references and predawn leaf water potentials thresholds, on physiology, yield, and qualitative attributes on the Touriga Nacional variety under years of mild to severe water and heat stress.
The studies were conducted over seven years (2015 to 2021) in two plots of a commercial vineyard located at Quinta do Ataíde (Symington Family Estates) planted in 2011 and 2014 at 170 meters elevation, growing under three water regimes: non-irrigated (NI) and two deficit irrigation strategies (30% and 60% ETc) assessed weekly by Ψpd. The site has an annual rainfall below 500 mm, with high atmospheric demand. Climate data was collected from a weather station, located on site. Berry ripening was followed weekly for fruit analysis. At harvest, yield, vigour and pruning weight per vine were determined from 90 vines by treatment. Each season at veraison the NDVI Index was accessed by a drone. The soils physic-chemistry in the experimental blocs were analysed and grouped by SWHC. Delta C-13 analyses were also performed per treatment in two years.Irrigation had a positive effect on yield per vine, mostly due to an increase in berry and cluster weight, and fertility index through the years. A significant increase in sugar content, colour and phenols was observed with deficit irrigation in some years, but vine vigour related to soil characteristics had by far the greatest impact on quality.