Macrowine 2021
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Sensory profile: a tool to characterize originality of wines produced without sulfites

Sensory profile: a tool to characterize originality of wines produced without sulfites

Abstract

AIM: A trend to reduce chemical inputs in wines exists, especially sulfur dioxide (SO2). This additive is widely used due to its antioxidant, antiseptic and antioxidasic properties. During without sulfites vinification, bioprotection by adding yeast on harvest could be a sulfites alternative. With extension of this wine market, sensory impact linked to sulfites absence and/or sulfites alternative should be evaluated. That’s what this approach proposes to do, focusing on sensory characteristics of wines produced with or without SO2 addition during the winemaking process.

METHODS: Wines were elaborated from Merlot grapes of two maturity levels according to three modalities: SO2, without SO2 and bioprotection on harvest (mix of Torulaspora delbrueckii and Metschnikowia pulcherrima). SO2 modality was sulfited throughout the winemaking and aging processes whether other modalities received any addition. After two years of aging, sensory studies were carried out with a specific panel for one month. First, descriptors were generated to differentiate the wines, then panelists were trained on these specific descriptors for five sessions and finally wines sensory profiles were elaborated.

RESULTS: The panel generated thirteen descriptors to differentiate the wines on which they have been trained: nine olfactive, three gustative and one trigeminal. After training, the nine presenting a consensus between judges were finally used. Wines without SO2 were characterized by freshness (mint and coolness) and cooked black cherries; bioprotection by fresh blackcurrant and with SO2 by smoke. Hierarchical clustering applied to this sensory approach lead to significantly differentiate wines produced with or without SO2.

CONCLUSIONS:

This approach allow to highlight sensory specificities of without sulfites wines. Therefore, with a dozen of descriptors, tasters could differentiate wines which have been sulfited or not but cannot differentiate among not sulfited ones those who have received bioprotection from those which have got any addition, regardless grapes maturity level.

DOI:

Publication date: September 24, 2021

Issue: Macrowine 2021

Type: Article

Authors

Edouard Pelonnier-Magimel , Sara WINDHOLTZ Isabelle, MASNEUF-POMAREDE,  Jean-Christophe BARBE  

Unité de Recherche Œnologie, EA 4577, USC 1366 INRAE F33882  France,
all : Unité de Recherche Œnologie, EA 4577, USC 1366 INRAE F33882 Villenave d’Ornon France

Contact the author

Keywords

wines without sulfites, bioprotection, sensory analysis, sensory profile, panel training

Citation

Related articles…

FACTORS AFFECTING QUERCETIN SOLUBILITY IN SANGIOVESE RED WINE: FIRST RESULTS

Quercetin (Q) is present in grape in form of glycosides and as aglycone. These compounds are extracted from grape skins during winemaking. In wines, following the hydrolysis reactions, the amount of quercetin aglycon can exceed its solubility value. Unfortunately, a threshold solubility concentration for quercetin in wine is not easy to determine because it depends on wine matrix (Gambuti et al., 2020).

Preliminary results of water status and metabolite content of three new crossbreed winegrape genotypes

This study presents the preliminary results obtained in 2022, of the evaluation of three new crossbreed winegrape genotypes and their parental varieties, grown under controlled irrigation (60% ETc) and rainfed conditions in a wine-growing area with scarcity of water and high temperatures (Murcia, southeast Spain). The genotypes MC16 and MC80 were obtained from crosses between the varieties ‘Monastrell’ and ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’, and MS104 from crosses between ‘Monastrell’ and ‘Syrah’ [1]. The objective of this study was to analyse the physiological response and vegetative development of the 6 genotypes under the two irrigation conditions, and to study their effect on the content of soluble sugars and chlorophyll in the leaf.

Influence of wood chips addition during alcoholic fermentation on wine phenolic composition

This study investigates the effect of wood chips addition during the alcoholic fermentation on the phenolic
composition of the produced wines. A series of wood chips, originating from American, French, Slavonia
oak and Acacia were added at the beginning of wine alcoholic fermentation. Besides, a mixture consisting
of 50% French and 50% Americal oak chips were added during the experimentation. The wine samples
were analyzed one month after the end of malolactic fermentation, examining various chemical
parameters such as total anthocyanins, total phenolic content, tannins combined with protein (BSA) and
ellagitannin content.

Grape byproducts as source of resveratrol oligomers for the development of antifungal extracts

Grape canes are a non-recycled byproduct of wine industry (1-5 tons per hectare per year) containing valuable phytochemicals of medicine and agronomical interest. Resveratrol and wine polyphenols are known to exert a plethora of health-promoting effects including antioxidant capacity, cardioprotection, anticancer activity, anti-inflammatory effects, and estrogenic/antiestrogenic properties (Guerrero et al. 2009). Additionally, resveratrol is a major phytoalexin produced by plants in response to various stresses and promotes disease resistance (Chang et al. 2011). Our project aims to develop polyphenol-rich grape cane extracts to fight phytopathogenic or clinically relevant fungi. We initiate the project with the development of analytical methods to analyze resveratrol mono- and oligomers (dimers, trimers and tetramers) from grape canes and we evaluate their potential activity against clinically relevant opportunistic fungal pathogens (Houillé et al. 2014).

Three new Apulian seedless varieties available for the table grape supply chain

The table grape industry in Europe is undergoing significant changes. For instance, in Italy, the national register of vine varieties was established in 1969, and since then, many varieties of table grapes have been registered. In the first thirty years, from 1969 to 1999, 62 seeded and 24 seedless varieties were registered. In the subsequent period, from 2000 to the present day, 23 seeded varieties and 99 seedless varieties were registered.