Solid Rectified Concentrated grape Must (SRCM) in sparkling wines production: studying the sensory impact of an innovative sugar substrate

Abstract

The production of sparkling wines requires sugars for the second fermentation. The Solid Rectified Concentrated Must (SRCM) is a water free crystalline form of grape sugar, offering a purer, more stable, and easier-to-use alternative to the liquid Rectified Concentrated Must (RCM). RCM is a grape must that has been stripped of all components except sugars and then concentrated. However, it is still not considered as pure, stable, or practical to use as crystalline sucrose, which is permitted for sparkling and enrichment practices, but in the latter case, only in certain countries, excluding Italy and other major Mediterranean wine-producing nations. EU Regulation n. 1308/2013 allows the use of SRCM in winemaking under the same conditions as RCM. Previous experiments [1-2] have assessed the microbial stability and fermentation performance of SRCM in sparkling wine production. However, its impact on the sensory characteristics of wines needs to be further explored in depth, in different types of wines.

This study investigated the sensory quality of 3 sugar substrates – SRCM, RCM, and sucrose, the latter in white (WS) or raw cane (CS) form – and six sparkling wines obtained from two different grape varieties (W1 and W2), each re-fermented with the 3 sugar substrates. The different matrices (water solutions of sugar substrates and sparkling wines re-fermented with them) were analysed by sensory analysis to compare and describe the respective sensory characteristics (smell/aroma, taste, mouthfeel). Significant differences and peculiarities were evaluated through discriminant (triangular test: TT) and descriptive (quantitative descriptive assessment: QDA) sensory methods [3-4] by a panel composed of 25 wine experts.

Preliminary results show that no olfactory and taste significant differences exist between water solutions of sugar substrates. Results on wine differed depending on the wine type. The odour of W1 re-fermented with SRCM was significantly different (α<<0.001) compared to that of W1 re-fermented with CS. Preliminary descriptive results suggest that W1 treated with SRCM was fresher and fruitier. Differently, W2 re-fermented with SRCM showed significant differences (α<0.05) compared to W2 re-fermented with RCM, mostly due to acidity and more intense and persistent in-mouth effervescence. Further ongoing experiments will be useful to deepen these preliminary evidences, necessary to optimize oenological applications of this innovative and sustainable product.

References

[1] Guzzon, R., Carlin, S., Mattivi, F. (2018). VVQ, 5, 102-105.

[2] Cambrea, M., Urbinati, S., Vallini, V. (2024). Cristalli d’uva – Il Mosto Concentrato Rettificato Solido nelle applicazioni enologiche. Ed. Assoenologi.

[3] Perenzoni, D., Dellafiora, L., Perugino, F., Vrhovsek, U., Piombino, P., Pittari, E., Guzzon, R., Moio, L., Galaverna, G., Mattivi, F. (2024). J Agric. Food Sci. 72, 47, 26189-26208.

[4] Vecchio, R., Lisanti, M.T., Caracciolo, F., Cembalo, L., Gambuti, A., Moio, L., Siani, T., Marotta, G., Nazzaro, C., Piombino, P. (2019). J. Sci. Food Agric. 99(1), pp. 124–135.