Characterization of Musts, Wines, and Sparkling Wines Based on Their Elemental Composition Determined by ICP-OES and ICP-MS

Samples from the different processing stages in the elaboration of sparkling wine (cava)—including must, base wine, and sparkling wine—of Pinot Noir and Xarel·lo grape varieties from different vineyard qualities (A, B, C, D) have been analyzed by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) techniques to determine their elemental composition. The resulting data has been used to characterize these products according to oenological features and product qualities. For this purpose, box plot diagrams, bar charts, and principal components analysis (PCA) have been used. The study of the behavior of each given species has pointed out the relevance of some elements as markers or descriptors of winemaking processes. Among others, Cu and K are abundant in musts and their concentrations progressively decrease through the cava production process. S levels suddenly increase at the base wine step (and further decay) due to the addition of sulfites as preserving agents. Finally, concentrations of Na, Ca, Fe, and Mg increase from the first fermentation due to the addition of clarifying agents such as bentonite. PCA has been applied to try to extract solid and global conclusions on trends and chemical markers within the groups of samples more easily and efficiently than more conventional approaches.

Non-Conventional Grape Varieties and Yeast Starters for First and Second Fermentation in Sparkling Wine Production Using the Traditional Method

Sparkling wine production using the traditional method involves a second fermentation of still wines in bottles, followed by prolonged aging on lees. The key factors affecting the organoleptic profiles of these wines are the grape varieties, the chemical and sensory attributes of the base wines elaborated, the yeast strains used for first and second fermentation, and the winery practices. While Chardonnay and Pinot noir are gold standard grape varieties in sparkling wine production, other valuable grape cultivars are used worldwide to elaborate highly reputable sparkling wines. Fundamental research on the chemical and sensory profiles of innovative sparkling wines produced by the traditional method, using non-conventional grape varieties and novel yeast strains for first and/or second fermentation, is accompanying their market diversification. In this review, we summarize relevant aspects of sparkling wine production using the traditional method and non-conventional grape varieties and yeast starters.

Differential Response of the Proteins Involved in Amino Acid Metabolism in Two Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strains during the Second Fermentation in a Sealed Bottle

The traditional method for sparkling wine making consists of a second fermentation of a base wine followed by ageing in the same bottle that reaches the consumers. Nitrogen metabolism is the second most important process after carbon and takes place during wine fermentation by yeast. Amino acids are the most numerous nitrogen compounds released by this process. They contribute to the organoleptic properties of the wines and, therefore, to their sensory quality. The main objective of this study is to compare the differential proteomic response of amino acid metabolism, specifically their proteins and their interactions in the G1 strain (unconventional yeast) during sparkling wine production versus the conventional P29 strain. One of the new trends in winemaking is the improvement of the organoleptic diversity of wine. We propose the use of unconventional yeast that shows desirable characteristics for the industry. For this purpose, these two yeasts were grown at sealed bottle conditions for the second fermentation (Champenoise method). No differences were obtained in the middle of fermentation between the yeast strains. The number of proteins identified, and the relationships established, were similar, highlighting lysine metabolism. At the end of the second fermentation, the difference between each strain was remarkable. Hardly any proteins were identified in unconventional versus conventional yeast. However, in both strains, the metabolism of sulfur amino acids, methionine, and cysteine obtained a greater number of proteins involved in these processes. The release of these amino acids to the medium would allow the yeast to balance the internal redox potential by reoxidation of NADPH. This study is focused on the search for a more complete knowledge of yeast metabolism, specifically the metabolism of amino acids, which are key compounds during the second fermentation.

Role of Nitrogen Compounds in Forming the Quality of Red Sparkling Wine

В технологии игристых вин азотистые соединения, в том числе их концентрация и качественный состав, играют существенную роль на всех этапах производственного процесса. Цель работы состояла в исследовании изменения азотсодержащих соединений в процессе вторичного брожения и их влияния на качественные характеристики красного игристого вина. В качестве объектов исследования в работе использованы пять промышленных образцов сортовых виноматериалов, соответствующих требованиям нормативной документации по физико-химическим и органолептическим показателям, и пять купажей, составленных из этих виноматериалов, а также опытные образцы игристых вин, полученные в результате вторичного брожения в бутылках. Определение массовой концентрации аминного азота проводили методом йодометрического титрования, аммиачного азота - диффузионным методом. Исследование качественного состава и концентрации аминокислот проводили с использованием ВЭЖХ на приборе «Аgilent Technologies 1200 Series» (Agilent, США). Установлено, что концентрация аммиачного азота в исследованных образцах варьировала от 13,4 до 29,7 мг/дм3, аминного азота - от 53,2 до 364,0 мг/дм3, свободных аминокислот - от 267,4 до 615,4 мг/дм3. Показано, что в результате вторичного брожения снижается суммарная концентрация аминокислот, причем наиболее сильно - в образцах с низким содержанием неорганического азота менее 20,0 мг/дм3. В образцах с высоким содержанием фенольных веществ снижение концентрации аминокислот происходило за счет образования с ними комплексных соединений. Показано, что состав азотистых соединений и соотношение свободных аминокислот в исходных виноматериалах оказывает влияние на образование отдельных ароматобразующих летучих компонентов и формирование типичных свойств красного игристого вина. Рекомендовано использовать показатели массовой концентрации аминного и аммиачного азота, а также состав и концентрацию свободных аминокислот в качестве дополнительных критериев оценки виноматериалов для выработки высококачественных красных игристых вин. In the technology of sparkling wines, nitrogenous compounds, including their concentration and qualitative composition, play an essential role at all stages of the production process. The aim of the work was to study the changes in nitrogen-containing compounds during secondary fermentation and their effect on the qualitative characteristics of red sparkling wine. As objects of research, five industrial samples of varietal wine materials that meet the requirements of regulatory documentation on physico-chemical and organoleptic indicators, and five blends made up of these wine materials, as well as experimental samples of sparkling wines obtained as a result of secondary fermentation in bottles, were used in the work. Determination of the mass concentration of amine nitrogen was carried out by iodometric titration, ammonia nitrogen - by diffusion method. The study of the qualitative composition and concentration of amino acids was carried out using HPLC on the device «Agilent Technologies 1200 Series» (Agilent, USA). It was found that the concentration of ammonia nitrogen in the studied samples varied from 13.4 to 29.7 mg/dm3, amine nitrogen - from 53.2 to 364.0 mg/dm3, free amino acids - from 267.4 to 615.4 mg/dm3. It is shown that as a result of secondary fermentation, the total concentration of amino acids decreases, and most strongly in samples with a low content of inorganic nitrogen less than 20.0 mg /dm3. In samples with a high content of phenolic substances, the concentration of amino acids decreased due to the formation of complex compounds with them. It is shown that the composition of nitrogenous compounds and the ratio of free amino acids in the initial wine materials influence the formation of individual aroma-forming volatile components and the formation of typical properties of red sparkling wine. It is recommended to use indicators of the mass concentration of amine and ammonia nitrogen, as well as the composition and concentration of free amino acids as additional criteria for evaluating wine materials for the production of high-quality red sparkling wines.

Market Segmentation and Dynamic Analysis of Sparkling Wine Purchases in Italy

The Italian market of sparkling wines increases as volume and assortment (such as brands, appellations, typologies) mainly because of sparkling Prosecco consumption. We investigate the repeated purchase behavior of sparkling wines in two years within the supermarket channel through scanner data collected from a consumer panel. We propose a Hidden Markov Model to analyze these data, assuming an unobservable process to capture consumers’ preferences and allowing us to consider purchases sparsity over time. We consider multivariate responses defining types of purchases, namely price, appellation, and sugar content. Customers’ covariates influence the initial and transition probabilities of the latent process. We identify five market segments, and we track their evolution over time. One segment includes Prosecco-oriented consumers, and we show that loyalty to Prosecco changes strongly over time according to the region of residence, income, and family type. The findings improve the understanding of the market and may provide evidence to design successful marketing strategies. (JEL Classifications: C33, C51, D12, L66)

The Effect of Carbonation Level on the Acceptability and Purchase Intent of Muscadine and Fruit Wines

Carbonation is a value-added process that can affect the mouthfeel, perception of volatile compounds, perception of sweetness, and ultimately if a consumer likes a wine. While much work has been completed on traditional varieties of sparkling wine, little research has been completed on niche market wines such as muscadine and fruit wines, which make up a large percentage of wines produced in the Southeastern USA. The objective of this research was to create and evaluate force-carbonated sparkling wine at five carbonation levels. Five finished wines from Florida wineries were obtained, then assessed for the sugar and alcohol content. Each wine was carbonated and then presented to consumers for sensory evaluation (n = 68–89 per evaluation). The questionnaire assessed the perceived sweetness, preference, liking, purchase intent, and comments of each sample. The data illustrated participants consistently preferred the carbonated samples over the noncarbonated sample. The data indicates a roughly even distribution of preference between the four carbonation levels. The data also showed statistically significant differences between the original wine and the carbonated varieties with respect to liking, preference, and purchase intent, which was supported by the consumer’s comments for the most preferred and least preferred samples. Overall, this research serves to impact the wine industry by identifying how carbonation levels affect the acceptability of niche wine varieties, and allows winemakers to successfully expand, diversify, and increase the product portfolio for wineries.

How do sparkling wine producers adopt a sub-appellation? Evidence from an exploratory study on heroic Prosecco Superiore Rive

This paper investigates why wineries producing Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Protected Denomination of Origin (CVPP) wines decided to adopt the sub-appellation (SA) “Rive” as a way to increase the value of their wines. We estimated both a logistic and a linear regression to explain Rive SA firms’ choices and market growth drivers, respectively. By using data gathered from CVPP producers, we divided wineries into two groups, those that have adopted the Rive SA and those that have not. By means of a stepwise procedure, we categorized factors that were likely to explain the Rive SA choice within a set of structural, marketing and wine tourism-related variables. The results showed that structural drivers such as the human capital of younger producers, pressure tank sizes, competitive positioning in the market and in the field of wine tourism hospitality, and involvement in ad hoc promotional activities (i.e., Primavera del Prosecco) have the greatest effects on the choice of the Rive SA. The synergistic effects of cellar door sales, small firm sizes and specific foreign markets (i.e., the United Kingdom and the United States) have emerged, on the other hand, as vital factors in the growth of the Rive SA in terms of market share. The adoption of the Rive SA may play an important role in supporting and valuing the heroic viticulture-based economy and may help the CVPP Tutelary Consortium to appropriately undertake promotional strategies to differentiate wines and improve competitiveness. This could have positive effects on wine tourism, hospitality and winery visits in light of the recent recognition of the CVPP as the 55th Italian UNESCO World Heritage site.

Specificity and Origin of the Stability of the Sr Isotopic Ratio in Champagne Wines

The 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 39 Champagnes from six different brands, originating from the whole “Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée” (AOC) Champagne was analyzed to establish a possible relation with the geographical origin. Musts (i.e., grape juice) and base wines were also analyzed to study the evolution of the Sr isotopic ratio during the elaboration process of sparkling wine. The results demonstrate that there is a very homogeneous Sr isotopic ratio (87Sr/86Sr = 0.70812, n = 37) and a narrow span of variability (2σ = 0.00007, n = 37). Moreover, the Sr concentrations in Champagnes have also low variability, which can be in part explained by the homogeneity of the bedrock in the AOC Champagne. Measurements of the 87Sr/86Sr ratio from musts and base wines show that blending during Champagne production plays a major role in the limited variability observed. Further, the 87Sr/86Sr of the musts were closely linked to the 87Sr/86Sr ratio of the vineyard soil. It appears that the 87Sr/86Sr of the product does not change during the elaboration process, but its variability decreases throughout the process due to blending. Both the homogeneity of the soil composition in the Champagne AOC and the blending process during the wine making process with several blending steps at different stages account for the unique and stable Sr isotopic signature of the Champagne wines.