The effect of increased yeast alcohol acetyltransferase and esterase activity on the flavour profiles of wine and distillates

The fruity odours of wine are largely derived from the synthesis of esters and higher alcohols during yeast fermentation. The ATF1- and ATF2-encoded alcohol acetyltransferases of S. cerevisiae are responsible for the synthesis of ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate esters, while the EHT1-encoded ethanol hexanoyl transferase is responsible for synthesizing ethyl caproate. However, esters such as these might be degraded by the IAH1-encoded esterase. The objectives of this study were: (a) to overexpress the genes encoding ester-synthesizing and ester-degrading enzymes in wine yeast; (b) to prepare Colombard table wines and base wines for distillation using these modified strains; and (c) to analyse and compare the ester concentrations and aroma profiles of these wines and distillates. The overexpression of ATF1 significantly increased the concentrations of ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, 2-phenylethyl acetate and ethyl caproate, while the overexpression of ATF2 affected the concentrations of ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate to a lesser degree. The overexpression of IAH1 resulted in a significant decrease in ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, hexyl acetate and 2-phenylethyl acetate. The overexpression of EHT1 resulted in a marked increase in ethyl caproate, ethyl caprylate and ethyl caprate. The flavour profile of the wines and distillates prepared using the modified strains were also significantly altered as indicated by formal sensory analysis. This study offers prospects for the development of wine yeast starter strains with optimized ester-producing capability that could assist winemakers in their effort to consistently produce wine and distillates such as brandy to definable flavour specifications and styles.     

Anthocyanin pattern of Tempranillo wines during ageing in oak barrels and storage in stainless-steel tanks

The anthocyanin fingerprint of Tempranillo wines made with grapes from two different vineyards of Rioja Alta has been studied by high-performance liquid chroatography during their ageing in oak barrels and their storage in stainless-steel tanks. The data were submitted to multifactorial analysis of variance, taking into account several factors: vineyard, age of wines, type of wine (free run wine and a coupage of free run wine and press wine), and type of container (oak barrels or stainless-steel tanks). The results indicate that both the length of ageing or storage and the vineyard where the grapes were grown affect the anthocyanin fingerprint of wines. The effect of the other two factors (type of wine and type of container) on the anthocyanin fingerprint of wines was quite low, despite the differences observed in several spectrophotometric parameters related to colour and phenolics.     

Influence of wine-making protocol and fining agents on the evolution of the anthocyanin content,colour and general organoleptic quality of Vinhão wines

This paper reports the evolution, over two years, of the anthocyanin content, colour and organoleptic quality of red wines prepared from a single batch of Vinhão grapes by means of three different protocols (maceration/fermentation with conventional pumping-over or in rotary vats, and fermentation after initial carbonic maceration), with and without the use of four different fining agents (polyvinylpolypyrrolidine, gelatin, egg albumin, and casein). Carbonic maceration led to lower anthocyanin levels and less intense coloration than the other two methods immediately following vinification, but during storage the carbonic maceration wines underwent less colour degradation than the others, so that after two years the colour density differences among the three were negligible. Wines treated with fining agents tended to have somewhat lower anthocyanin levels and, especially in the case of PVPP, less intense colouration than untreated wines, and their colour was at best only marginally more stable during storage, but they nevertheless generally achieved higher panel ratings for organoleptic quality than untreated wines, especially as regards taste.     

Practical interventions that influence the sensory attributes of red wines related to the phenolic composition of grapes: a review

The phenolic composition of red wines is complex and intimately involved in colour, taste, mouth‐feel and aroma. There have been significant advances in knowledge of compounds with relatively simple structures, but understanding of those with more complex and probably diverse structures is challenging. A number of phenolic compounds may form temporary complexes with anthocyanins and/or be involved in reactions that lead to relatively stable coloured compounds. A wide range of phenolic compounds is implicated in the oral sensory attributes of red wines. Of particular importance are flavan‐3‐ols, including proanthocyanidins (PAs). The generally observed decline in the extractability of PAs during berry ripening is due to binding with cell wall material, which may occur within the developing berry and also from tissues brought into contact during processing. Studies have shown that exposure/reduced vigour results in an increasing proportion of skin PAs being extractable during wine making. Temperature and light influence anthocyanin with temperature probably being more important and the most sensitive stage being 1–3 weeks after véraison. Skin PAs are extracted earlier than those from seeds during wine‐making. Recent results suggest some rearrangement of skin and/or seed PAs occurs during vinification which involves the cleavage of large polymers or the aggregation of small ones. The polymeric material is particularly influential in wine astringency and is transformed by incorporation of anthocyanins into tannin‐like compounds during wine‐making and storage. Although some grape‐derived phenolic compounds contribute to the aroma of red wines, likely of greater importance are the effects of nonvolatile phenolics on the volatility of a diverse range of aroma compounds. Advances in analytical techniques are likely to provide greater insights into the structures and conformations of phenolic polymers and the role of cell wall material in relation to phenolic extraction and reaction during vinification. In relation to aroma, much more research is required to reveal the details of the interactions involving phenolics with volatile compounds. It seems likely that the ability to influence the relative extraction and subsequent reaction of skin and seed phenolics is important in the production of full colour, aromatic and long‐lived wines.     

Comparative study of browning and flavan‐3‐ols during the storage of white sherry wines treated with different fining agents

White sherry wines were treated with three fining agents (activated charcoal, PVPP and Riduxhigh), in addition to an initial treatment with casein and bentonite, in four different combinations. The wines were stored at 20 or 30 °C for 1 year with a view to examining changes in their flavan‐3‐ol fraction and differences in their degree of sensitivity to browning. Flavan‐3‐ol monomers and dimers, as well as browning measured as absorbance at 420 nm, increased during storage in all the wines. After this period the wines treated with fining agents containing activated charcoal, PVPP and Riduxhigh exhibited less marked browning, with no significant differences among them at both 20 and 30 °C. However, taking into account the higher initial colour of bottled wines treated with Riduxhigh in relation to those treated with activated charcoal or PVPP, this fining agent showed higher capacity to control browning. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

A review of microoxygenation application in wine

Oxygen has a fundamental role in the vinification process and occurs in the various stages, particularly during the fermentation and aging of wines. Phenolic compounds, such as oxygen, are relatively important in wine quality. Among polyphenols, anthocyanins and tannins are the most important compounds since they contribute to the organoleptic characteristics of wines, particularly colour and astringency. During wine‐making and aging, phenolics extracted from grapes gradually change owing to biochemical reactions, which result in a decrease in astringency as well as colour stabilization. Therefore, addition of a measured amount of oxygen, referred to as a microoxygenation process, was proposed to improve wine quality by accelerating these transformations of phenols. In a microoxygenation process, it is assumed that modification of phenolic compound reactions by oxidation should result in more coloured and less astringent products. In this article, the role of oxygen, phenolics and microoxygenation application in wine technology has been reviewed. Copyright © 2013 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling     

Oak extract application to grapevines as a plant biostimulant to increase wine polyphenols

Oak extract is a mixture of compounds including phenolics (volatiles and non volatiles), which could act as plant biostimulant if they are able to modulate plant physiological response. It is known that it can modify grape volatile composition after the application over grapevines, impacting on wine aroma, but no studies have been carried out on phenolic composition. So, the aim of this work was to evaluate the phenolic composition of wines elaborated from Monastrell grapevines treated with a commercial oak extract in order to study its biostimulant activity. Several families of polyphenols were studied, including phenolic acids, stilbenes, flavanols, flavonols and anthocyanins, which were analyzed by HPLC-DAD-MS. Results showed oak extract could be considered like an important biostimulant of grape polyphenols, since it affected grape composition, producing less alcoholic and acid wines with higher colour intensity, lower shade and so a more stable colour and higher content of polyphenols such as gallic acid, hydroxycynnamoyltartaric acids, acylated anthocyanins, flavanols and stilbenes.     

Volatile components of Zalema white wines

The volatile composition of young white wines from Vitis vinifera cv. Zalema, an autochthonous grape variety in Huelva (southern Spain), has been studied by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and techniques of quantitative analysis. This is the first time that an olfactometric analysis has been reported in wines made from this grape variety. The quantitative chemical study has shown 71 volatile compounds, of which 23 were in concentrations above their thresholds. On the basis of the odour activity values (OAVs), the most potent odorants were fermentative compounds, mainly fatty acids and their ethyl esters. Two norisoprenoids, β-damascenone and β-ionone, two alcohols (isoamyl alcohol and β-phenylethanol), three volatile thiols, 4-mercapto-4-methyl-2-pentanone, 3-mercaptohexyl acetate and 3-mercapto-1-hexanol, and two carbonyl compounds (acetaldehyde and phenylacetaldehyde) also exhibited OAVs > 1. The GC-O study corroborated these results, showing that five esters (isoamyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl isovalerate and ethyl octanoate), isoamyl alcohol and β-damascenone can be considered as the most powerful odorants of Zalema wines.     

Influence of prefermentative maceration temperature on the colour and the phenolic and volatile composition of rosé wines

Prefermentative maceration for 8 h at 5, 10 and 15 °C was used to make rosé wines, and changes in their colour (colour intensity (CI), tone and CIELAB parameters), phenolic compounds (classic indices and individual compounds) and volatile compounds (major and minor) were monitored from the must stage to wines until 6 months after bottling. The 15 °C maceration temperature provided wines with the highest CI, a* and C* values, the greatest malvidin‐3‐glucoside content and the lowest alcohol and ethyl acetate levels. Only in these wines were terpenols released after 6 months in the bottle. The wines produced at 5 °C had the highest ester levels, which also remained more stable during storage. When using maceration temperature as the differentiating variable in a discriminant analysis, volatile compounds were important contributors. However, colour and phenolic compound parameters were important when sampling time was used as the differentiating variable. The best scoring wines in an informal sensory evaluation test were those subjected to 15 °C maceration, while the least appreciated were those macerated at 5 °C. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Flavonol composition of Australian red and white wines determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography

Background and Aims: Flavonols are present in Vitis vinifera L. wine grapes as glycosides and are found in wines in both their glycosidic and aglycone forms. Flavonols and their glycosides are important components in wine because of their impact on colour, taste and health properties. An assessment of the flavonols and flavonol glycosides present in a wide selection of Australian red and white wines (n = 121 and 44, respectively) was undertaken. Methods and Results: Analyses were performed using HPLC, with compound identification being aided by HPLC‐MS. In the red wines, quercetin and myricetin dominated the flavonol profile, and quercetin‐3‐glucuronide was by far the most abundant glycoside present. White wines had considerably lower levels of flavonols and their glycosides, in most cases, being below the detection limit of the HPLC method. Conclusions: There appeared to be no correlation between the flavonol profile and wine variety or region in either white or red wines. Contrary to literature reports of rutin in wine, rutin was not found in any of the wines we analysed, and spiking experiments showed rutin rapidly degraded to the aglycone quercetin. Furthermore, changes in elution order for some quercetin glycoside standards were observed depending upon the acid used in the mobile phase. Significance of the Study: This is the first time the flavonol contents of an extensive cross section of Australian wines have been reported. The concentrations are consistent with those reported in wines from other countries. In light of the instability of rutin in wine, critical review should be given to reports discussing its presence.     

Maintenance of Colour Composition of a Red Wine During Storage. Influence of Prefermentative Practices, Maceration Time and Storage

The effect of two different prefermentative treatments (the moment of SO₂addition and the use of fining agents), three different maceration times (4, 5 and 10 d), two different storage conditions and the length of storage on wine colour composition has been studied. The results show that the addition of SO₂at the moment of crushing, the use of the fining agent polyvinylpolypyrrolidone and long maceration times produced wines with a higher anthocyanin, ionised anthocyanins and polymeric compounds content, greater colour density, and an overall colour quality. Principal components analysis showed that the wines were mainly grouped according to their length of maceration and storage condition. After 12 mo of storage, wines elaborated with 10-d skin maceration were those with greatest colour quality.     

EFFECT OF TIME AND STORAGE CONDITIONS ON MAJOR VOLATILE COMPOUNDS OF ZALEMA WHITE WINE

ABSTRACT

Changes in quality attributes during bottled storage of white wine were studied. Different storage conditions, temperature, bottle position and exposure to light were studied over 1 year and their effects on major volatile compounds were evaluated. Ethyl lactate and diethyl succinate contents increased after 12 months of storage, whereas isoamyl acetate decreased over this period. The analysis of variance revealed that the temperature had a statistically significant effect on most volatile compounds studied. Multivariate statistical techniques (specifically principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis) confirmed that temperature is the most important factor, so the samples were distributed into two groups according to storage temperature. A rough differentiation among wines according to the length of storage was also obtained using linear discriminant analysis.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Aroma is one of the main factors contributing to the quality of wines and their acceptance by consumers. However during bottle storage, young white wines lose their fresh and fruity flavor and suffer a browning process. Among other factors, the time it takes a wine to spoil depends on the wine composition and on storage conditions. Knowledge of the bottle storage stability of Zalema young white wines could allows us to predict their shelf life and establish the best commercial storage conditions to retain their organoleptic characteristics for longer periods.     

Characterisation of the main enzymatic activities present in six commercial macerating enzymes and their effects on extracting colour during winemaking of Monastrell grapes

Numerous studies have reported on the use of enzymes in wineries to facilitate the extraction of grape phenolics and to aid colour stability, although no clear conclusions were reached. Information concerning the enzymatic activities of industrial preparations is very difficult to obtain despite its importance. The aim of this work was to characterise and quantify the activities of six macerating enzyme preparations to optimise their use, and to study their effect on the chromatic characteristics of a Monastrell wine. The results indicate that differences exist in the type of enzymatic activities present in the preparations and in their concentration. The chromatic characteristics of the resulting wines, both at the end of alcoholic fermentation and after 12 months of storage in stainless steel tanks, showed differences with the use of the different maceration enzymes when comparing with control wine, although very little differences were observed between the different enzyme treatments. The enzyme-treated wines showed, at the end of alcoholic fermentation, a higher OD₂₈₀ and tannin content, and after 12 months, a higher colour intensity too. The main effect of all the preparations was an increase in the total phenol content, probably by facilitating the release of skin tannins.     

Effect of storage temperature on the chemical composition and sensory profile of Sauvignon Blanc wines

Background and Aims: Most white wines lose fresh and fruity characteristics, associated with volatile esters, during ageing in the bottle. A higher storage temperature accelerates these changes. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of storage temperature on the chemical and sensory properties of Sauvignon Blanc wines. Methods and Results: Three commercially bottled Sauvignon Blanc wines from the 2008 and 2009 vintages were stored at 5, 10, 18°C and at room temperature for 12 months. Wines stored at warmer temperatures (18°C and room temperature) contained lower concentrations of acetate esters, including the prominent varietal thiol 3MHA, and ethyl esters of fatty acids, than the wines stored at cooler temperatures (5 and 10°C). A warmer temperature accelerated the rate of ester hydrolysis. Conversely, the concentrations of ethyl esters of branched acids were higher in wines stored at the warmer temperatures. The sensory profile of the wines was assessed after 12 months for the two 2008 wines and after 8 months for the 2009 wine. The wines stored at cooler temperatures were characterised by higher fruity and fresh vegetal aromas, whereas the wines stored at warmer temperatures exhibited the opposite sensory profile, with dominant woody/smoky/oaky, buttery, flinty and canned asparagus notes. Conclusions: These results indicate that temperature‐dependent hydrolysis processes are critical for Sauvignon Blanc aroma stability during the first year in the bottle. Significance of the Study: Cool storage temperature conditions can significantly increase the shelf‐life of Sauvignon Blanc wines by preserving their fruity and fresh green characters.     

The chemical and sensorial effects of lysozyme addition to red and white wines over six months' cellar storage

Lysozyme is an enzyme with muramidase activity which can lyse Gram-positive bacteria, including wine lactic acid bacteria. This enzyme provides a practical method for delaying or preventing the growth of Oenococcus oeni and consequently the onset of malolactic fermentation during the vinification of red and white wines. This paper reports the impact of lysozyme on the chemical and sensorial properties of commercially vinified red (Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz) and white (Riesling) wines. The addition of lysozyme to these wines had little or no effect on the content of alcohol, free and total sulfur dioxide and titratable acidity, and pH value. The lysozyme retained 75–80% activity in the Riesling wine after six months, however no detectable activity remained in the Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz wines after two days. Upon addition of lysozyme to both of the red wines, a rapid initial decrease (up to 17%) in red wine colour density and phenolic content occurred in association with the formation of a light precipitate. The reduction in red wine colour was also noted by the sensory panel. When added to the Riesling wine, lysozyme did not cause an increase in browning over the six month storage time, but did induce heat instability (haze), suggesting that white wines may require protein stabilisation following treatment with lysozyme. Sensory assessment by triangle difference testing revealed that, during the six month storage period, treatment with lysozyme did not cause important changes to either the aroma or palate of the red and white wines tested.     

Pre-fermentative replacement of sulphur dioxide by lysozyme and oenological tannins: Effect on the formation and evolution of volatile compounds during the bottle storage of white wines

In this work, the effects on the volatile profile of the pre-fermentative substitution of SO₂ with lysozyme and oenological tannins were studied in white wines. At the same time, in order to understand the changes of volatile compounds in SO₂-free wines, the evolution of volatiles was evaluated over 1 year of storage in bottles. For this purpose, a number of laboratory scale fermentations of SauvignonBlanc musts were carried out and the effects of three variables (SO₂, lysozyme and oenological tannins) were investigated by means of GC–MS analysis. Results showed that the replacement of SO₂ with lysozyme and oenological tannins influenced the volatile composition of wines at the end of the alcoholic fermentation. Wines fermented with SO₂ showed higher total alcohol amounts, while the presence of oenological tannins augmented the level of esters. The presence of SO₂ influenced also the alcohols and esters profiles of wines during bottle storage. Moreover, the presence of oenological tannins displayed a positive role in maintaining the amounts of esters over certain levels in wine stored for 1 year, likely due to their oxygen scavenging ability. By contrast, acids were less affected by the investigated adjuvants both at the end of the alcoholic fermentation and during the storage time.     

Phenolic compounds and colour stability of Vinhão wines: Influence of wine-making protocol and fining agents

The purpose of this work is to study the evolution, over three selected harvests, of phenolic compounds and colour stability of red wines produced in the north of Portugal by means of two wine-making processes (conventional maceration/fermentation and fermentation after initial carbonic maceration), with and without the use of four different fining agents (polyvinylpolypyrrolidine, gelatine, egg albumin, and casein). In general, it was observed that wines obtained by conventional maceration/fermentation (PO) present the highest colour intensity and polyphenolic content (total and monomeric anthocyanins, flavan-3-ol monomers and polymers), and the lowest orange–red hue, immediately following vinification. Nevertheless, carbonic maceration (CM) afforded wines with most stability in colour density, for 26 months’ storage. Different evolutions of anthocyanins and of flavan-3-ol monomers (catechins) and polymers (procyanidins) in PO and CM protocols during storage were observed. Decrease of anthocyanins and flavan-3-ol dimmers were, in general, more remarkable in PO wines. Monomers and trimers underwent a rise, especially in CM wines. Wines treated with fining agents tended to have somewhat lower anthocyanins levels, and especially in the case of PVPP, less intense colouration than untreated wines. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that catechins and some procyanidins are mainly responsible for the separation and evolution of wines during storage according polyphenolic composition. Partial least squares (PLS) regression models confirm that colour density in wines from PO and CM protocols explains a high proportion of the variance in hue, chemical age, IFC and anthocyanins and a prediction model has been built.     

Effect of sulphur dioxide and must extraction on colour,phenolic composition and sensory quality of red table wine

Red wines were made during 1992 from Vitis vinifera var Roriz grapes using a high and a low level of extraction and three levels of total sulphur dioxide (0, 75 and 150 mg SO₂ kg⁻¹). From this single experiment, the effects of total SO₂ and extraction on anthocyanin composition and colour were observed by HPLC, spectrophotometry and tristimulus colorimetry. High extraction produced a wine with more total pigments and total phenols than low extraction and increased the amount of organic acids extracted during fermentation. More anthocyanins were extracted with increasing SO₂ levels. On maturation, all wines lost colour and increased in brownness. Wines made without SO₂ browned more than the wines made with SO₂. The anthocyanins normally present in wines were all rapidly lost to trace levels at 24 months. Vitisin A, a more stable and highly coloured anthocyanin than malvidin 3-glucoside, showed a slower decrease in concentration than malvidin 3-glucoside and contributed significantly to the wine colour during aging. At the first analysis, the wines made without SO₂ had a higher percentage colour due to polymers than the wines made with SO₂. Polymerisation progressed during maturation, although the initial differences were maintained. Sensory analysis after 6 and 18 months storage by expert tasters revealed differences mainly related to the colour attributes, indicating that when wines are made using modern hygienic techniques, total SO₂ has a negligible effect on aroma and flavour attributes. © 1998 Society of Chemical Industry.     

Effect of Storage Conditions on Various Parameters of Colour and the Anthocyanin Profile of Rosé Wines

Colour compounds of rosé wines can be very sensitive to storage conditions because of the low levels of naturally-occurring protective compounds. This article deals with the effects of storing rosé wines under different temperature and light conditions, with regard to their colour characteristics and anthocyanin profile. Samples were taken seven times altogether over a period of 582 days. At the end of the storage period, the resulting differences in the wines were studied by μLC/MS. It was found that storing rosé wine at room temperature caused a reduction of 50% in the levels of anthocyanins compared to storing them at 3°C. Increasing the storage temperature to 45°C caused the total decomposition of all anthocyanins. Furthermore, during the maturation of the wine, a loss of sugar moiety, hydration of aglycone, and the formation of the corresponding chalcone or diketone were observed. Levels of pyranoanthocyanins in the wines were studied as well. Vitisins A and B, hydroxyphenyl-pyranomalvidin-3-glucoside, dihydroxyphenyl-pyranomalvidin-3-glucoside, and methoxyhydroxyphenyl-pyranomalvidin-3-glucoside were identified. The highest levels of both chalcones and pyranoanthocyanins were found in samples stored at room temperature. The effect of irradiation on the pigments also appeared to be significant but less important than the effect of high temperature.     

Addition of pectolytic enzymes: an enological practice which improves the chromaticity and stability of red wines

Summary The effect of the addition of four commercial pectolytic preparations on the visual characteristics (colour and turbidity) of red wines has been evaluated. The effect of both clarifying and colour extracting enzymes and the effect of different doses used, were evaluated and compared. All the red wines treated enzymatically, independent of the type of enzyme and dose, present chromatic characteristics which can be considered better than those of the control wines. Also, those wines treated with enzymes had greater stability during 2 years storage in bottles, in particular the turbidity was better than untreated wines.