 IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Exploring the effect of oxygen exposure during malolactic fermentation on red wine color

Exploring the effect of oxygen exposure during malolactic fermentation on red wine color

Abstract

AIM: this research investigates the impact of early oxygen exposure, also during malolactic fermentation (MLF), on pigments and color of a red wine from Sangiovese grapes.

METHODS: in order to tune up the oxidation-reduction potential right after maceration, a Sangiovese wine (ethanol: 13.5% v/v; pH: 3.73; total acidity: 7.4 g/L; volatile acidity: 0.38 g/L) was exposed to dose-controlled additions of oxygen (Ox) beginning at the draining off, during MLF, as long as 3 months over lees in a stainless steel tank. A control wine (no Ox) received no gas addition at all. Both wines were stored into the multifunctional tank Onda® (10 hL, Ghidi Metalli Srl) with automatic gas injection system. The main oenological parameters, phenolic compounds, and chromatic properties were investigated at: draining off, MLF, and 12 months of ageing (3 months over lees, 9 months in bottle).

RESULTS: as expected (Burns & Osborne 2013; Burns & Osborne 2015; Martínez-Pinilla et al., 2013), the decrease of total and monomeric anthocyanins occurred faster throughout the MLF and slowly during the further 12 months of ageing. The effect of oxygen exposure on both classes appeared significant only at the end of 3 months over lees, with lower anthocyanin levels in Ox wine (-10 mg/L). Regarding the contribution to the red color of wine, at the draining off it was mainly ascribable to the oligomeric (dAT 84%) and polymeric pigments (dTAT 10%). Thereafter, the molecular complexation of pigments increased the percentage of polymeric forms (35% at the end of MLF). However, only after 12 months of ageing, did the positive effect of the early oxygen exposure on red color stabilization become significant in terms of dTAT (65% Ox, 58% no Ox), dAT (30% Ox, 36% no Ox) and color intensity (0.50 Ox, 0.45 no Ox).

CONCLUSIONS

Early oxygen exposure, useful for tuning up the oxidation-reduction potential right after maceration and during MLF, significantly improved the stability of pigments and color properties of Sangiovese red wine, from 12 months of ageing on.

DOI:

Publication date: September 14, 2021

Issue: Macrowine 2021

Type: Article

Authors

Marco Esti

Department of Agricultural and Forest Science (DAFNE), Tuscia University Viterbo, Italy,Ilaria Benucci, Martina Cerreti, Katia Liburdi Department of Agricultural and Forest Science (DAFNE), Tuscia University Viterbo, Italy

Contact the author

Keywords

oxygen exposure; malolactic fermentation; pigment complexation; Sangiovese red wine

Citation

Effect of soil type on Sauvignon blanc and Cabernet-Sauvignon wine style at different localities in South Africa

The wine producing regions of South Africa are characterized by climatic diversity. The Coastal Region has a Mediterranean climate, with a mean annual rainfall of c.

Analysis of the oenological potentials of different oak forests in Hungary

Like France, Hungary has many oak forests used for making barrels since many years. But if the differences between the woods of the North, the East and the South-West forests of France are well known, this is probably not the case of Hungarian forests. However taking into account the essential differences of climates and soils, differences must be significant and the general name “Hungarian oak” must not have any real meaning. We have studied precisely (determination of concentrations of volatile and non-volatile wood compounds, anatomical criteria, measurement of antioxidant capacity) of oaks collected from northeastern Hungary and others collected from the Danube valley in the northwest of the country.

Definition and planning of viticultural landscapes case study in the “Côtes du Rhône Gardoises”

Les préoccupations actuelles autour des paysages viticoles vont au-delà des clichés promotionnels développés par les stratégies marketing. En effet, les paysages sont aujourd’hui au cœur d’une demande sociale croissante qui se traduit par différentes lois (la loi paysage de 1993, le paysage reconnu comme patrimoine commun de la nation par la loi n°95-101, la création du Conseil national du paysage par arrêté du 8/12/2000).

Utilización de los estudios detallados y muy detallados de suelos en la microzonificación vitícola

Se justifica la utilización de los mapas de suelos detallados y muy detallados como instrumento fundamental en los estudios de microzonificación.

Pruning vine-shoots as a new enological additive to differentiate and improve the quality of wines

The objective of these work was to demonstrate that toasted fragments of pruning vine-shoots added to the wines after fermentation provide them with differentiated aromatic notes and improve their quality.