Nowadays, during wine ageing, we hope for changes that cause the wine to mature well by gaining a complex mix of complementary flavors. It is for this reason that the reputation of white and red wines is always strongly associated with their aging potential. Most of the time, wine flavor develops quickly, resulting in a loss of complexity and personality, i.e., the flavor found in every oxidized wine. This phenomenon is called premature aging. It is a well-known phenomenon in white wines and more recently characterized in red wines. Prematurely-aged white wines are reminiscent of honey, wax, and in certain case cooked vegetables while red wines develop several aromatic nuances reminiscent of prunes and figs. The volatile compounds associated with this characteristic aroma in oxidized white wines are methional, phenyacetaldehyde and sotolon, while 3-methyl-2,4-nonanedione (MND) is implicated in the prune flavor of oxidized red wines. There are various ways to prevent oxidative spoilage. Preventing or minimizing oxygen ingress at bottling or during aging is one means, but antioxidants, are often added to a wine to react with residual oxygen and/or inhibit further oxidative reactions. We present the first results from an investigation to assess the flavor evolution of a Sauvignon blanc wine over several years following the imposition of several treatments at bottling. The wines were bottled under a synthetic closure and a natural cork closure. In addition the effect of ascorbic acid and glutathione addition were investigated in a sensorial and analytical point of view. In a complementary study, we report results concerning the effect of flavan-3-ols (catechin and epicatechin) on the oxidative evolution of the aroma of this variety. At the end, as a part of ongoing research on red wine ageing potential, first results concerning the effect of closure type on red wine oxidation flavors (prune flavors) and their MND levels will be considered.

Analysis of several enological parameters influencing the premature ageing aroma of red and white wines

248th National Meeting (2014)

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