Impact of closure type and storage temperature on chemical and sensory composition of Malbec wines (Mendoza, Argentina) during aging in bottle

Pairing Red Wine and Closure: New Achievements from Short-to-Medium Storage Time Assays

The physicochemical and sensory properties of wines are influenced by several factors, starting in the vineyard and evolving during the winemaking stages. After bottling, variables such as bottle position, closure type, storage temperature, and storage time shape wine characteristics. In this study, red wines stored for approximately 0.5 and 3 years with natural cork, micro-agglomerated cork stoppers, and screw cap closures were analyzed. Various techniques were employed to investigate changes during bottle storage, including the determination of volatile components by comprehensive gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with time-of-flight analyzer (GC × GC-ToFMS), phenolic profile by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography, coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-MSn), general physicochemical parameters, the oxygen transfer rate of cork stoppers, and sensorial analysis performed by a trained panel. The results revealed that the type of closure created distinct environments within the bottles, slightly influencing both sensory attributes and chemical evolution of the red wines. These findings highlight the value of combining diverse analytical techniques to reveal closure-driven differences, with volatile compound profiling emerging as the most sensitive methodology. Additionally, this study emphasizes that differences modulated by the wine-closure pairing, which become more pronounced during storage, can serve as an oenological tool in the construction of a wine's identity.

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.

Cork impact on red wine aging monitoring through 1H NMR metabolomics: A comprehensive approach

Cork stoppers have a significant impact on aging as a place of gas exchange. This study investigates the effects of different cork closures on red wines using 1H NMR metabolomics approach. The objective is to understand how different cork stoppers affect the chemical evolution of wine during aging. Six Syrah wines from the Côtes du Rhône and Languedoc-Roussillon regions, matured in either steel tanks or oak barrels, were bottled with four micro-agglomerated cork stoppers. Over 24 months, wines were analyzed using 1H NMR spectroscopy. Data were processed using multivariate analyses: principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). The analyses revealed significant changes along the wine aging process. Distinct chemical signatures were identified for wines at the initial and 24-month stages. At the initial stage, wine maturation conditions, stainless steel tank or oak barrel, seem to impact wine constituents, including methanol, ethyl lactate, acetic acid, myo-inositol, and isobutanol. Finally, corks with higher oxygen transfer rate (OTR) showed higher content in acetoin, suggesting its application as an oxygenation marker of wines. The findings highlight the complex role of cork permeability in red wine aging, suggesting that the choice of cork can be strategically used to steer the aging process and enhance wine quality.

Analysis of targeted phenolic ageing markers in Syrah red wines during bottle ageing: Influence of cork oxygen transfer rate

A Syrah red wine ageing experiment was set up during 24-months and the influence of four micro-agglomerated corks were investigated. Specific phenolic ageing markers were selected and hemi-synthesized: vitisin B, malvidin-ethyl-catechin, and epicatechin-sulfonate. A targeted quantification method of these markers was then developed and validated by using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography - triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS) operating in MRM (Multiple Reaction Monitoring). Results showed a significant decline in native grape polyphenol levels (anthocyanins, flavanols) as ageing progresses while pyranoanthocyanins, ethyl-linked pigments, and flavanol-sulfonates content increased. The cork oxygen transfer rate emerged as a pivotal factor and had significant effects on polyphenolic concentration evolution but had no significant impact on flavanol-sulfonate formation. These results provide valuable insights into the chemical evolution ongoing during wine ageing, accentuating the pivotal role of cork stopper selection in preserving wine quality over time.

Variations in physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant activity, phenolic and volatile profiles, and sensory attributes of tea-flavored Chardonnay wine during bottle aging

A novel Chardonnay wine flavored with either green tea or black tea was subjected to bottle aging for 9 months, and the physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content, volatile content and sensory properties were monitored. There were 272 phenolic and non-phenolic compounds characterized in the aged Chardonnay wines, including newly formed 9, 1, 3 and 8 phenolic compounds and 10, 6, 1 and 6 non-phenolic compounds after aging for 1, 3, 6 and 9 months, respectively. For all the aged wines, catechin was determined as the most abundant phenolic compound, and epigallocatechin mainly contributed toward the antioxidant power. A total of 54 volatile compounds were identified in the aged Chardonnay wines, including 17 odor-active compounds. The aging process diminished floral and fruity odors, but intensified green odor. The consumer study revealed the highest consumer liking for 1% (w/v) black tea infused wine. This study revealed the quality and bioactivity of this novel flavored wine type during aging which is critical to understand the shelf-life and functionality of the product.

A Review on Wine Flavour Profiles Altered by Bottle Aging

The wine flavour profile directly determines the overall quality of wine and changes significantly during bottle aging. Understanding the mechanism of flavour evolution during wine bottle aging is important for controlling wine quality through cellar management. This literature review summarises the changes in volatile compounds and non-volatile compounds that occur during wine bottle aging, discusses chemical reaction mechanisms, and outlines the factors that may affect this evolution. This review aims to provide a deeper understanding of bottle aging management and to identify the current literature gaps for future research.

Non-enzymatic browning of wine induced by monomeric flavan-3-ols: A review

Non-enzymatic browning occurs widely in both white and red wines, and it has a huge impact on the color evolution and aging potential. Previous studies have proved that phenolic compounds, especially those with catechol groups, are the most important substrates involved in browning reactions of wine. This review focus on the current knowledge of non-enzymatic browning in wine resulting from monomeric flavan-3-ols. First, some relevant aspects of monomeric flavan-3-ols are introduced, including their structures, origins, chemical reactivities, as well as potential impacts on the organoleptic properties of wine. Second, the mechanism for non-enzymatic browning induced by monomeric flavan-3-ols is discussed, with an emphasis on the formation of yellow xanthylium derivatives, followed by their spectral properties and effects on the color change of wine. Finally, attentions are also be given to the factors that influence non-enzymatic browning, such as metal ions, light exposure, additives in winemaking, etc.

Impact of the Closure Oxygen Transfer Rate on Volatile Compound Composition and Oxidation Aroma Intensity of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon Blend: A 10 Year Study

This study evaluated the impact of closure type on unoaked 100 %-Merlot, oak-aged 70%-Merlot/30%-Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30%-Merlot/70%-Cabernet Sauvignon during a 10 year period. Closures were microagglomerate corks, screw caps, and synthetics with the known oxygen transfer rate (OTR), ranging from 0.1 to 4.6 mg/y, including natural corks. Oxidation intensity perception, dissolved oxygen, sulfite, and 3-methyl-2,4-nonanedione (MND) were monitored on a regular basis. After 10 years of aging, additional aroma impact markers were evaluated (3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol, H₂S, DMS, methional, and phenylacetaldehyde). Low OTR levels (≤0.3 mg/y) delayed the oxidation of red wines in this long-term experiment. In addition, our results led us to hypothesize that the MND concentration in young wines might be linked with their ability to produce it during bottle aging that is with their aging potential. Finally, we found that the kinetic accumulation of MND in wines was first strongly impacted by its intrinsic composition and thereafter by the OTR_T0 of the stopper.

A Minimally Invasive Approach for Preventing White Wine Protein Haze by Early Enzymatic Treatment

Protein stability in bottled white wine is an essential organoleptic property considered by consumers. In this paper, the effectiveness of an early enzymatic treatment was investigated by adding a food-grade microbial protease at two different stages of winemaking: (i) at cold settling, for a short-term and low temperature (10 °C) action prior to alcoholic fermentation (AF); (ii) at yeast inoculum, for a long-lasting and medium temperature (18 °C) action during AF. The results reveal that protease sufficiently preserved its catalytic activity at both operational conditions: 10 °C (during cold settling) and 18 °C (during AF). Furthermore, protease addition (dosage 50–150 μL/L) raised the alcoholic fermentation rate. The treatment at yeast inoculum (dosage 50 μL/L) had a remarkable effect in preventing haze formation, as revealed by its impact on protein instability and haze-active proteins. This minimally invasive, time and resource-saving enzymatic treatment, integrated into the winemaking process, could produce stable white wine without affecting color quality and phenol content.

Microwave Irradiation: Effects on the Change of Colour Characteristics and Main Phenolic Compounds of Cabernet Gernischt Dry Red Wine during Storage

Wine colour is an essential organoleptic property considered by consumers. In this paper, the potential effects on colour characteristics and the content of main phenolic compounds in red wine under microwave irradiation were investigated during wine storage. The results showed that the changing trend of colour characteristics of microwave-treated and untreated wines was very similar. Moreover, total phenolic compounds, total monomeric anthocyanins, main anthocyanins, main flavonoids, and main phenolic acids (gallic acid; caffeic acid; syringic acid; (+)-catechin; Cy-3-glu; Mv-3-glu) also showed similar change trends during storage. In other words, microwave irradiation had a long-term effect on the colour properties and main phenolic compounds of red wine, changes that require long-time aging in traditional processing. In terms of the studied parameters, the changes in microwave-treated wine were faster than those in untreated wine. These results showed that microwave technology, as a promising artificial aging technology, could in a short time produce red wine of similar quality to traditional aging.

Bottle Aging Affected Aromatic and Phenolic Wine Composition More than Yeast Starter Strains

Volatile and phenolic compounds play a key role in the sensory properties of wine, especially aroma and color. During fermentation, yeasts produce enzymes that affect the skin’s phenolic compounds extraction and synthesize some of the most important wine volatile compounds. Generally, selected yeasts of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc) strains are inoculated, which are responsible for carrying out the wine fermentation, enhancing and highlighting its sensory characteristics and contributing to help achieve the wine typicity, according to the winemaker’s criteria. After fermentation, all wines require aging in a bottle to modulate their composition and stability over time. Thus, four different Sc strains (Sc1–Sc4) were inoculated into tanks with Tempranillo grapes to carry out, in duplicate, their fermentation and subsequent aging in bottles (9 months), comparing the aromatic and phenolic composition between them. Results showed differences in the fermentation process (kinetic, ethanol yield), CI, TPI and content of alcohols, esters, anthocyanins, flavonols and flavanols in wines from the different Sc strains studied. Moreover, in the content in wines of most groups of aromas and phenols, except for total acetate esters and flavonols, aging in a bottle had more influence than the yeast strain used for fermentation.

Chemical Composition and Polyphenolic Compounds of Red Wines: Their Antioxidant Activities and Effects on Human Health—A Review

Red wine, an alcoholic beverage is composed of a spectrum of complex compounds such as water, alcohol, glycerol, organic acid, carbohydrates, polyphenols, and minerals as well as volatile compounds. Major factors that affect the levels of phenolic compounds in red wines are the variety of grapes and the storage of the wines. Among the constituents of red wine, phenolic compounds play a crucial role in attributes including color and mouthfeel and confer beneficial properties on health. Most importantly, phenolic compounds such as flavanols, flavonols, flavanones, flavones, tannins, anthocyanins, hydroxycinnamic acids, hydroxybenzoic acids, and resveratrol can prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, inflammation, and some other chronic diseases.

Wine Storage at Cellar vs. Room Conditions: Changes in the Aroma Composition of Riesling Wine

Storage temperature is one of the most important factors affecting wine aging. Along with bottling parameters (type of stopper, SO₂ level and dissolved O₂ in wine), they determine how fast wine will evolve, reach its optimum and decline in sensory quality. At the same time, lowering of the SO₂ level in wine has been a hot topic in recent years. In the current work, we investigated how Riesling wine evolved on the molecular level in warm (~25 °C) and cool (~15 °C) conditions depending on the SO₂ level in the wine (low, medium and high), flushing of the bottle's headspace with CO₂ and three types of stoppers (Diam 30, Diam 30 origin and Diam 5) with different OIR levels (0.8-1.3 mg) and OTR levels (0.3-0.4 mg/year). It was demonstrated that the evolution of primary and secondary aromas, wine color and low molecular weight sulfur compounds (LMWSCs) during the two years of aging mainly depended on the storage temperature. Variation in the SO₂ level and CO₂ in the headspace affected mostly certain LMWSCs (H₂S, MeSH) and β-damascenone. New aspects of C₁₃-norisprenoids and monoterpenoids behavior in Riesling wine with different levels of SO₂ and O₂ were discussed. All three types of stoppers showed very close wine preservation properties during the two years of storage. The sensory analysis revealed that, after only six months, the warm stored wines with a low SO₂ level were more oxidized and different from the samples with medium and high SO₂ levels. A similar tendency was also observed for the cool stored samples.

Application of Vine-Shoot Chips during Winemaking and Aging of Malbec and Bonarda Wines

The growing demand in recent years for sustainable wine production has led to the management of waste and by-products. Among them, vine-shoots could be used as additives comparable to the oak fragments widely employed in enology. This work analyzes the feasibility of applying vine-shoot chips during winemaking and the aging of Malbec and Bonarda wines from Mendoza (Argentina) and evaluates their chemical and sensory impact. Toasted (CHT) and untoasted (CHWT) vine-shoot chips obtained from a Bonarda vineyard were added in Malbec and Bonarda grapes during winemaking (Experiment A): C, control; CHWT, 12 g/L; CHT, 12 g/L. Furthermore, the same treatments were applied during aging (1M, 30 days; 2M, 60 days; 4M, 120 days) to the finished wines under controlled conditions (Experiment B). The impact of vine-shoot chips during winemaking was different between varieties. For Malbec alone, CHT caused a significant decrease in tannins, anthocyanins, and polymeric pigments, and a modification of wine color. During aging, CHWT and CHT had an impact mainly at the sensory level, increasing the wine’s complexity in terms of aromatic attributes and mouthfeel. In conclusion, the proposed technology could be a simple and economical tool for red wine production of high chemical and organoleptic quality.

Wine Polyphenol Content and Its Influence on Wine Quality and Properties: A Review

Wine is one of the most consumed beverages around the world. It is composed of alcohols, sugars, acids, minerals, proteins and other compounds, such as organic acids and volatile and phenolic compounds (also called polyphenols). Polyphenols have been shown to be highly related to both (i) wine quality (color, flavor, and taste) and (ii) health-promoting properties (antioxidant and cardioprotective among others). Polyphenols can be grouped into two big families: (i) Flavonoids, including anthocyanidins, flavonols, flavanols, hydrolysable and condensed tannins, flavanones, flavones and chalcones; and (ii) Non-flavonoids, including hydroxycinnamic acids, hydroxybenzoic acids, stilbenes, tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol. Each group affects in some way the different properties of wine to a greater or a lesser extent. For that reason, the phenolic composition can be managed to obtain singular wines with specific, desirable characteristics. The current review presents a summary of the ways in which the phenolic composition of wine can be modulated, including (a) invariable factors such as variety, field management or climatic conditions; (b) pre-fermentative strategies such as maceration, thermovinification and pulsed electric field; (c) fermentative strategies such as the use of different yeasts and bacteria; and (d) post-fermentative strategies such as maceration, fining agents and aging. Finally, the different extraction methods and analytical techniques used for polyphenol detection and quantification have been also reviewed.

Evaluation of the Storage Conditions and Type of Cork Stopper on the Quality of Bottled White Wines

The effects of different storage conditions, light exposure, temperature and different commercially available cork stoppers on the phenolic, volatile and sensorial profile of Verdejo wines were studied. Two natural corks of different visual quality and a microgranulated cork stopper were investigated over one year at two different storage conditions. One simulating light exposure and temperature in retail outlets and the other simulating optimal cellar conditions (darkness and 12 °C). The wines stored under commercial conditions showed greater losses of total and free SO₂ and higher levels of brown-yellowish tones, related to the oxidation of flavan-3-ols. Although these wines underwent a decrease in the total content of stilbenes, a significant increase in trans-piceid was observed. In addition, these wines suffered important changes in their volatile and sensory profile. Volatile compounds with fruity and floral aromas decreased significantly, while volatile compounds related to aged-type characters, as linalool oxides, vitispirane, TDN or furan derivatives increased. Wines stored in darkness at 12 °C underwent minor changes and their sensory profiles were similar to wine before bottling. The high-quality natural corks and microgranulated corks better preserved the quality of the white wines from a sensory point of view. These results showed that temperature and light exposure conditions (diffuse white LEDs and 24 ± 2 °C) in retail outlets considerably decrease the quality of bottled white wines and, consequently, their shelf life, due to the premature development of aged-type characters.

Judgments of a Product's Quality and Perceptions of User Experience Can Be Mediated by Brief Messaging That Matches the Person's Pre-existing Attitudes

The mediation of an attitude to a product following a brief message is investigated. Statements indicating whether a computer was running on energy from renewable or more conventional sources were presented and users' experiences were measured. Participants' pre-existing environmental concern and the satisfaction they expressed with the computers were related, but only when the "renewable energy" message was presented. We conclude that enduring attitudes to environmental concern and situation-specific knowledge can interact in evaluations of a situation - a finding with implications for behavior-change strategies. Theoretically, results are discussed in terms of "spillover" from one behavior to another, the Halo Effect and self-activation, where those with a self-identity of being environmentally conscious have this identity activated by messaging congruent with their self-identity, resulting in an influence of their opinion of a product. Conversely, those with an anti-environmental worldview might rate products more negatively when the product's environmental credentials are mentioned, presumably because these credentials are not congruent with self-identity.