Effects of Prolonged Pomace Contact on Color and Mouthfeel Characteristics in Merlot Wine During the Ageing Process Under Microwave Irradiation

Wine color and mouthfeel are essential organoleptic characteristics considered by consumers. In this paper, the potential impacts on color and mouthfeel characteristics in wine, without pomace or prolonged pomace contact after different microwave treatment times, were investigated during storage. The results indicated that the trend changes in color and mouthfeel related parameters (including visible spectrum, brightness, red hue, yellow hue, color difference, saturation, hue angle, total polyphenol content, total monomer anthocyanins, total tannins, total flavan-3-ols, epigallocatechin, catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, and fluorescence spectrum) after microwave-treated and natural aged wines without pomace and prolong pomace contact were very similar. Moreover, changes in these organoleptic parameters of microwave-treated wine were faster than those of untreated wine, which required a long aging time in traditional processing. Also, microwave treatment had a long-term influence on color and mouthfeel characteristics. All these results showed that prolonged pomace contact technology could obviously improve the clarity and yellowness of wine, and microwave technology could reduce wine aging and rapidly change its color and mouthfeel characteristics. In summary, prolonged pomace contact technology is an interesting strategy to replace traditional fining agents. Microwave technology, as an efficient artificial aging technology, might reduce aging time and rapidly change organoleptic characteristics for producing high quality wine.

Protein extracts from amaranth and quinoa as novel fining agents for red wines

Due to allergenic concerns, only pea, potato, and wheat proteins have been approved as alternatives for replacing animal-based fining agents in wines. In pursuit of other substitutes, this work aimed to determine the fining ability of amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus L.) proteins (AP) in red wine, compared to quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) (QP) and a commercial pea protein. Phenolic and volatile composition, as well as color characteristics, were analyzed. AP was as effective as QP at decreasing condensed tannins, with AP at 50 g/hL being the most effective treatment (25.6% reduction). QP and AP produced a minor or no statistical change in the total anthocyanins and wine color intensity. They reduced the total ester concentration, but the total alcohols remained unchanged. The outcomes of AP and QP were similar, and sometimes better than the pea proteins, thus suggesting that they could be promising options for the development of novel fining agents.

Effect of the addition of soluble polysaccharides from red and white grape skins on the polyphenolic composition and sensory properties of Tempranillo red wines

Soluble polysaccharides from white (PSW) and red (PSR) grape skins were obtained to be evaluated as potential modulators of the unbalanced astringency of a Tempranillo red wine. The modulation of astringency was evaluated by a sensory panel and it seemed to be related to the changes in the polyphenolic profile. Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) studies, employed to characterize flavan-3-ol-polysaccharide interactions, showed that PSR decreased noticeably wine astringency causing a great flavan-3-ol loss (ca. 40 %), since they interacted more spontaneously with the flavan-3-ols (ca. ΔGtotal = -2.14 × 10⁴ cal/mol) than PSW (ca. ΔGtotal = -1.32 × 10⁴ cal/mol). The strength of these interactions seems to be related to the polysaccharide molecular size and to the presence of arabinogalactans in the structure. On the contrary, PSW showed no relevant effects on wine astringency. Furthermore, potential variations of color were also assessed and no deleterious effect was observed after the addition of any polysaccharide.

Grape polysaccharides: compositional changes in grapes and wines, possible effects on wine organoleptic properties, and practical control during winemaking

Polysaccharides present in grapes interact with wine sensory-active compounds (polyphenols and volatile compounds) via different mechanisms and can affect wine organoleptic qualities such as astringency, color and aroma. Studies on the role that grape polysaccharides play in wines are reviewed in this paper. First, the composition of grape polysaccharides and their changes during grape ripening, winemaking and aging are introduced. Second, different interaction mechanisms of grape polysaccharides and wine sensory-active compounds (flavanols, anthocyanins and volatiles) are introduced, and the possible effects on wine astringency, color and aroma caused by these interactions are illustrated. Finally, the control of the grape polysaccharide content in practice is discussed, including classical winemaking methods (applying different maceration enzymes, temperature control, co-fermentation, blending), modern vinification technologies (pulsed electric field, ultrasound treatment), and the development of new grape polysaccharide products.

Application of soy protein isolate in the fining of red wine

Soy protein isolate was evaluated as a potential fining agent as an alternative to the predominant protein commercial fining agents (ovalbumin, porcine gelatin, and pea protein isolate). Two red wines (cv. ‘Merlot’ and cv. ‘Lambrusco Maestri’) were finned, bottled, and analyzed for phenolic content, color, turbidity, and sensory profile. Independent of the protein used, fining promoted a reduction in a majority of the phenolic compound, a slight (but significant) reduction of chromatic properties, and a decrease in the turbidity of the wines. A decrease in astringency, persistence, bitterness, and wine body, as well as an increase in brightness, clarity, and acidity, was also observed in all treatments. The application of soy protein isolates yielded similar results to those obtained with other commercial fining agents, both in the physicochemical and the sensory measures, which favors its usage as an alternative to the traditional fining agents of animal-protein origin.