Grape VOCs response to postharvest short-term ozone treatments

Ozone has been recently recognized as an efficient sanitizing agent in wine industry because of its powerful oxidizing properties. Furthermore, postharvest treatments of grapes with ozone can stimulate defense responses by synthetizing secondary metabolites against oxidative stress. In this study, the effect of postharvest short-term ozone treatments was assessed for the first time on free and glycosylated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of winegrapes. Two different ozone concentrations (30 and 60 μL/L) and exposure times (24 and 48 h) were investigated just after treatment (fresh grapes) and after partial dehydration up to 20% weight loss (withered grapes). The study was carried out on Moscato bianco winegrapes (Vitis vinifera L.) due to the importance of terpenes in white aromatic cultivars to produce high quality wines. The results obtained showed that short-term ozone treatment caused a significant decrease in total contents of free VOCs in fresh grapes, mainly due to terpenes. Among them, linalool, geraniol, and nerol are the major aromatic markers of Moscato bianco grapes. Ozone entailed a significant decrease of free linalool contents in fresh grapes, the less stressful ozone treatment showing the smaller linalool degradation. However, the stronger and longer ozone treatment induced the synthesis of this compound probably in response to higher abiotic stress. Instead, significant changes were not observed in geraniol and nerol contents in fresh grapes. This last ozone treatment also reduced the loss of free linalool by water loss in withered grapes even though total VOCs and terpenes remained relatively stable. Furthermore, ozone seems to promote the synthesis of free (+)-4-carene and 4-terpineol in withered grapes under certain treatment conditions. Regarding glycosylated compounds, total VOCs and terpenes were less sensitive to ozone. Our findings highlight that ozone can be used as sanitizing agent in aromatic grape varieties prior to winemaking without affecting sharply the aromatic profile of fresh grapes and even improving it in withered grapes

Identifying Wine Grape Aromatic Maturity using E-nose and GC-MS: the case of Nerello Mascalese Grapes from two Contrade of the Etna Area

A study of aromatic maturity of Nerello Mascalese grapes from two districts ("Contrade") of the Etna area was carried out using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and electronic nose (E-nose). To validate our hypothesis regarding the potential use of E-nose for aromatic maturity, two vineyards with different characteristics (08 Alto and Solicchiata) were used. Grapes were sampled at 18°, 21° and 23°Brix. Regarding the phenol maturity index, total anthocyanins reached a peak at the second sampling in 08 Alto grapes, while in Solicchiata they constantly increased. The ratio total anthocyanins: total polyphenols in 08 Alto grapes increased from 0.14 to 0.33, and in Solicchiata from 0.17 to 0.23. As regards grape volatile organic compounds (GVOCs) for the aromatic maturity index, in Solicchiata the concentrations of glycosylated benzenoids and C13-norisoprenoids were much higher than in 08 Alto, and the concentration decreased during maturity (opposite trend to the anthocyanins); by contrast, in 08 Alto, concentrations peaked at the second sampling time (as with the anthocyanins). The E-nose results did not completely coincide with the GVOCs pattern, but they discriminated the maturity stages very well. However, the different metallo-porphyrins responded differently depending on the class of GVOCs, highlighting very promising results in terms of GVOCs non-destructive prediction by means of principal component regression (PCR) application. E-nose shows potential for easy use with rapid PCR for the monitoring of the aromatic maturity of Nerello Mascalese grapes

Ozone Improves the Aromatic Fingerprint of White Grapes

Ozone, a powerful oxidative stressor, has been recently used in wine industry as sanitizing agent to reduce spoilage microflora on grapes. In this study, we evaluated ozone-induced metabolic and molecular responses during postharvest grape dehydration. Ozone increased the contents of total volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which have a great impact on the organoleptic properties of grapes and wines. Among terpenes, responsible for floral and fruity aroma, linalool, geraniol and nerol were the major aromatic markers of Moscato bianco grapes. They were significantly affected by the long-term ozone treatment, increasing their concentration in the last phases of dehydration (>20% weight loss). At molecular level, our results demonstrated that both postharvest dehydration and ozone exposure induce the biosynthesis of monoterpenes via methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway and of aldehydes from lipoxygenase-hydroperoxide lyase (LOX-HPL) pathway. Therefore, transcriptional changes occurred and promoted the over-production of many important volatile compounds for the quality of white grapes

Characterisation of Refined Marc Distillates with Alternative Oak Products Using Different Analytical Approaches

The use of oak barrel alternatives, including oak chips, oak staves and oak powder, is quite common in the production of spirits obtained from the distillation of vegetal fermented products such as grape pomace. This work explored the use of unconventional wood formats such as peeled and sliced wood. The use of poplar wood was also evaluated to verify its technological uses to produce aged spirits. To this aim, GC-MS analyses were carried out to obtain an aromatic characterisation of experimental distillates treated with these products. Moreover, the same spirits were studied for classification purposes using NMR, NIR and e-nose. A significant change in the original composition of grape pomace distillate due to sorption phenomena was observed; the intensity of this effect was greater for poplar wood. The release of aroma compounds from wood depended both on the toasting level and wood assortment. Higher levels of xylovolatiles, namely, whisky lactone, were measured in samples aged using sliced woods. Both the NIR and NMR analyses highlighted similarities among samples refined with oak tablets, differentiating them from the other wood types. Finally, E-nose seemed to be a promising alternative to spectroscopic methods both for the simplicity of sample preparation and method portability

Volatile profile of white wines fermented with sequential inoculation of Starmerella bacillaris and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Mixed fermentations with Starmerella bacillaris and Saccharomyces cerevisiae affect the chemical composition of wines, by modulating various metabolites of oenological interest. The current study was carried out to elucidate the effect of sequential inoculation of the above mentioned species on the production of white wines, especially on the chemical and aromatic characteristics of Chardonnay, Muscat, Riesling and Sauvignon blanc wines. Titratable acidity and glycerol content exhibited evident differences among the wines after fermentation. For volatile compounds, mixed fermentations led to a reduction of the total esters, including ethyl acetate, which is a compound responsible for wine deterioration. However, Sauvignon blanc wines fermented by mixed cultures contained significantly higher levels of esters and thiols, both associated with positive sensory attributes. These findings suggest that sequential inoculations possess great potential in affecting and modulating the chemical and aromatic profile of white wines, especially those produced from Sauvignon blanc grapes

Sur lies élevage practice to modulate the features of red wines from calcareous soils with different textures

Background: In Sicilian calcareous soils, red wines often display unripeness and bitterness features. To enhance wine quality, we employed the 'sur lies elevage' technique, involving prolonged contact of dead yeast cells with the wine to favor the extraction of yeast cellular components through cell lysis. The 7 month treatment utilized two types of Chardonnay lies: fresh and previously matured. To overcome challenges in retrieving lies from red winemaking, we have recovered the lies from a white winemaking. Additionally, the lies underwent a preliminary passage on a red wine to minimize color adsorption on yeast cell walls.Results: The sur lies treatment effectively reduced astringency, bitterness, and brown pigment in wines, with partial removal of red color. It successfully eliminated quercetin aglycone and induced remarkable changes in the aromatic profile, showing increased ethyl esters and relative fatty acids. Sensory evaluations revealed sur lies-treated wines had fruitier and more complex characteristics compared to untreated wines. Matured lies had a greater impact on enhancing fruitiness than fresh lies.Conclusions: The treatments mitigated the unripeness and bitterness of studied wines. Sur lies treatment improved the aromatic profile, leading to fruitier and more complex notes, enhancing overall sensory quality. Matured lies showed greater efficacy in elevating fruitiness than fresh lies. These findings highlight the value of the sur lies technique in enhancing the quality and sensory attributes of Nero d'Avola and Syrah wines from Sicilian calcareous soils.(c

Key norisoprenoid compounds in wines from early-harvested grapes in view of climate change

In view of climate change, the scheduling of an early harvest may be an agronomic option to limit wine alcohol, provided that a satisfactory content of secondary metabolites can be ensured in grapes. To better understand the link between grape ripening, seasonal trend and wine aroma, the aromatic expression of Barbera and Pinot Noir wines produced with early harvested grapes was assessed. Attention was focused on C13 norisoprenoids during both alcoholic fermentation and after three months of storage. At the end of fermentation, the highest β-damascenone content was detected in wines obtained from less ripe grapes, the content subsequently increased significantly after three months of storage; however, the levels of β-ionone decreased significantly during the same period. The reduction of wine alcohol as a result of harvesting earlier, especially for Barbera, was associated with optimal aromatic levels as well as good technological parameters