Macrowine 2021
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Influence of must fining on wine pinking: relationship between electrochemical and colorimetric measurements and pinking attitude of wine

Influence of must fining on wine pinking: relationship between electrochemical and colorimetric measurements and pinking attitude of wine

Abstract

AIM: “Pinking” is a term used to define an abnormal pink coloration assumed by white wines in certain cases. Despite the are many hypotheses about the causes of this phenomenon, pinking still represents an issue for the wine industry. In the absence of reliable preventive strategies, wineries often rely on treatments such as charcoal fining, which is also negatively impacting wine aroma. This study aims at evaluating the potential of different fining agents based on animal or vegetal proteins to prevent wine pinking when applied at the level of must clarification. The work was carried out on Lugana wines, which is well-recognised as sensible to pinking problems.

METHODS: Two experimental Lugana musts were obtained by applying a standard winemaking protocol and were then clarified with different commercial preparations based on vegetal proteins or casein, alone or in combination with PVPP. A control only using pectolytic enzyme was also prepared. Finings were carried out at 4°C for 16h, and the clear must (200 NTU) was then fermented in controlled conditions. At the end of fermentation all wines were bottled with 25 mg/L of free SO2. Musts and wines were submitted to linear sweep voltammetry, colorimetric (CIELab) and spectrophotometric analyses. Pinking was assessed by CIELab.

RESULTS: Must fining with products based on combination of vegetable proteins and PVPP allowed significant reduction of must content in oxidizable compounds assessed by voltammetry, and this difference was still detected in the finished wines. After one month of bottle aging (free SO2 being 20 mg/L in all wines) pinking was detected for all wines except for those obtained from musts treated with potato or pea protein combined with PVPP. Voltammetric features of the must were shown to be well correlated with the risk of wine pinking. Analysis after one year of bottle aging confirmed the potential of fining to prevent pinking.

CONCLUSIONS: The type of fining agent used in must fining affects the occurrence of pinking in the finished wines. Vegetable proteins in combination with PVPP showed high potential for pinking prevention. Voltammetric analyses could be a promising tool for rapid assessment of the efficacy of fining treatments towards pinking.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

The present work was financially supported by Biolaffort.

DOI:

Publication date: September 28, 2021

Issue: Macrowine 2021

Type: Article

Authors

Maurizio Ugliano 1, Riccardo MANARA 1,  Eduardo VELA ROMAN 1, Virginie MOINE 1, Arnaud MASSOT 2, Davide SLAGHENAUFI 2.

1 University of Verona, Italy.
2 Biolaffort, France.

Contact the author

Keywords

pinking, fining, vegetable proteins, linear sweep voltammetry

Citation

Related articles…

Physiological and growth reaction of Shiraz/101-14 Mgt to row orientation and soil water status

Advanced knowledge on grapevine row orientation is required to improve establishment, management and outcomes of vineyards on terroirs with different environmental conditions (climate, soil, topography) and in view of a future change to more extreme climatic conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine the combined effect of row orientation, plant water status and ripeness level on the physiological and viticultural reaction of Shiraz/101-14 Mgt.

Effects of mechanical leafing and deficit irrigation on Cabernet Sauvignon grown in warm climate of California

San Joaquin Valley accounts for 40% of wine grape acreage and produces 70% of wine grape in California. Fruit quality is one of most important factors which impact the economical sustainability of farming wine grapes in this region. Due to the recent drought and expected labor cost increase, the wine industry is thrilled to understand how to improve fruit quality while maintaining the yield with less water and labor input. The present study aims to study the interactive effects of mechanical leafing and deficit irrigation on yield and berry compositions of Cabernet Sauvignon grown in warm climate of California.

The effects of cane girdling on berry texture properties and the concentration of some aroma compounds in three table grape cultivars

The marketability of the table grapes is highly influenced by the consumer demand; therefore the market value of the table grapes is mainly characterized by its berry size, colour, taste and texture. Girdling could cause accumulation of several components in plants above the ringing of the phloem including clusters and resulting improved maturity. The aim of the experiments was to examine the effect of girdling on berry texture characteristics and aroma concentration.

Application of a fluorescence-based method to evaluate the ripening process and quality of Pinot Blanc grape

The chemical composition of grape berries at harvest is one of the most important factors that should be considered to produce high quality wines. Among the different chemical classes which characterize the grape juice, the polyphenolic compound, such as flavonoids, contribute to the final taste and color of wines. Recently, an innovative non-destructive method, based on chlorophyll fluorescence, was developed to estimate the phenolic maturity of red grape varieties through the evaluation of anthocyanins accumulated in the berry skin. To date, only few data are available about the application of this method on white grape varieties.

Different yield regulation strategies in semi-minimal-pruned hedge (SMPH) and impact on bunch architecture

Yields in the novel viticulture training system Semi-Minimal-Pruned Hedge (SMPH) are generally higher compared to the traditional Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP). Excessive yields have a negative impact on the vine and wine quality, which can result in substantial losses in yield in subsequent vintages (alternate bearing) or penalties in fruit quality. Therefore yield regulation is essential. The bunch architecture in SMPH differs from VSP. Generally there is a higher amount but smaller bunches with lower single berry weights in SMPH compared to VSP.