Analytical MethodsChemical and sensory evaluation of Bordeaux wines (Cabernet-Sauvignon and Merlot) and correlation with wine age
Research highlights
► Phenolic markers (total phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, tannins, tannin monomers, % of galloylation, % of prodelphinidins, mDP : mean degree of polymerisation) appears to be relevant criteria for vintages differentiation of Bordeaux wines from Cabernet-Sauvignon and Merlot. ► Correlations between wine age and mDP (mean degree of polymerisation), hue, astringency and tannin monomers (catechin + epicatechin) for Bordeaux wines from Cabernet-Sauvignon and Merlot. ► Scale patterns proposal between wine mDP (mean degree of polymerisation) and tannin quality perception (astringency) for Bordeaux wines from Cabernet-Sauvignon and Merlot.
Introduction
Phenolic compounds are one of the most important wine quality parameters. Anthocyanins are a family of phenolic compounds directly related to red wine colour (Glories, 1984) a major quality attribute of the wine. Proanthocyanidins or condensed tannins are another large family of phenolic compounds and are thought also to make an important contribution to colour stabilization by combining with the anthocyanins (Mazza, 1995). These combinations seem particularly involved in the evolution of red wine colour during ageing (Bakowska, Kucharska, & Oszmianski, 2003). Additionally, condensed tannins affect or even determine bitterness and astringency (Llaudy et al., 2004, Santos-Buelga and Scalbert, 2000) and participate in colloidal stability (Saucier, 1997).
Quality evaluation of a red wine is primarily based on wine tasting. Chemical analyses are however performed in addition in order to explain some sensory changes observed. The relationship between sensory evaluation and chemical composition of wine is a critical subject of research in oenology (Colagrande et al., 1988, Girard et al., 2001). The goal is to understand which compounds influence wine sensory properties and how they affect them (Thorngate, 1997). In addition, the quantitative determination of certain chemical compounds is a criterion of wine origin (Forina, Armanino, Castino, & Ubigli, 1986) and authenticity (Arvanitoyannis, Katsota, Psarra, Soufleros, & Kallithraka, 1999) evaluation.
Astringency has been described as one of the most important organoleptic characteristics of wine (Guinard, Pangborn, & Lewis, 1986). Astringency is not a taste but a mouthfeel and is the feeling of dryness or roughness that results from increased friction between the tongue and the surfaces inside the mouth (Lea & Arnold, 1978). As opposed to astringency, bitterness is a taste induced by a large range of molecules, including organic molecules, peptides, inorganic ions and salts. Monomeric flavan-3-ols and low molecular weight proanthocyanidins are more bitter than astringent, while the polymers of higher molecular weight proanthocyanidins are generally more astringent than bitter (Arnold et al., 1980, Peleg et al., 1999). Astringency and bitterness are influenced by many factors: from the first stages of wine production, their organoleptic qualities are affected by grape maturity state. During ageing, chemical reactions modify both chemical composition and sensory wine character. For many wines, this period of ageing is a necessary stage in the production process. The effect of ageing is to modify the various organoleptic properties, making some more and others less intense (Singleton, 1995). Most wines are consumed after a period of ageing that may take place in wooden casks, in the bottle, or in both successively.
Considering Bordeaux wine reputation, the role of both phenolic compounds and ageing on wine quality, our goal was to study Bordeaux red wines (Cabernet-Sauvignon and Merlot) using on the one hand chemical analyses and on the other hand sensory analyses. The influence of polyphenolic content on sensory perception as well as correlations between ageing and both chemical and sensory data are searched.
Section snippets
Reagents
Deionised water was purified with a Milli-Q water system (Millipore, Bedford, MA). Acetonitrile (HPLC grade), ethyl alcohol (HPLC grade), methyl alcohol (HPLC grade), acetic acid, orthophosphoric acid, l-ascorbic acid, l-tartaric acid, hydrochloric acid, ammonia and sodium acetate were purchased from Prolabo-VWR (Fontenays/Bois, France). (+)-catechin (C), (−)-epicatechin (EC), (−)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (−)-epicatechin-3-O-gallate (ECG), B1 [(−)-epicatechin-(4β-8)-(+)-catechin] and B2
Vintage influence
The vintage influence has been explored for the chemical and sensory parameters independently for the two cultivars CS and M.
Conclusion
A comparative study of chemical and sensory properties was conducted for Bordeaux Cabernet-Sauvignon and Merlot wines. Chemical analyses provide essential information for red wine characterisation and their link with sensory perception of astringency is settled. Until now, polyphenolic composition and sensory perception has never been studied profoundly in Bordeaux predominant wine cultivars.
We evidenced for the first time that phenolic compounds, total anthocyanins, total tannins, tannin
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully thank CIVB (Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bordeaux), Ministère de La Recherche et Enseignement Supérieur for providing financial support, the Region Aquitaine for providing funds for the acquisition of the HPLC-MS(n)-UV material, chateau Mouton Rothschild (premier grand cru classé Pauillac) and chateau la Providence (Pomerol) for providing the wine samples to allow this research. We also thank the judges who participated in the sensory analyses.
References (38)
- et al.
Application of quality control methods for assessing wine authenticity: Use of multivariate analysis (chemometrics)
Trends in Food Science and Technology
(1999) - et al.
The effect of heating, UV irradiation and storage on stability of the anthocyanin–polyphenol copigment complex
Food Chemistry
(2003) - et al.
Tannin profiles of Vitis vinifera L.cv. red grapes growing in Lisbon and from their monovarietal wines.
Food Chemistry
(2009) - et al.
Vinification effects on the sensory, colour and GC profiles of Pinot noir wines from British Columbia
Food Research International
(2001) - et al.
HPLC analysis of diverse grape and wine phenolics using direct injection and multidetection by DAD and fluorescence
Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
(2007) - et al.
Phenolic compounds and total antioxidant potential of commercial wines
Food Chemistry
(2003) - et al.
Prediction of perceived astringency induced by phenolic compounds
Food Quality and Preference
(2004) - et al.
Use of an experimental design approach for evaluation of key wine components on mouth-feel perception
Food Quality and Preference
(2004) - et al.
Molecular basis of bitter taste: The T2R family of G protein-coupled receptors
Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics
(2004) - et al.
Bitterness and astringency of phenolic fractions in wine
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
(1980)
HPLC coupled with fluorescence detection for the determination of procyanidins in white wines
Chromatographia
Levels of flavan-3-ols in French wines
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Grape cultivar effect on proanthocyanidin composition and sensory perception of skin and seed tannin extracts from bordeaux wine grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) for two consecutive vintages (2006 and 2007)
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Genesi degli odori e sapori anomali dei vini
VigneVini
Evolution of phenolic composition and sensory properties in red wine aged in contact with portuguese and french oak wood chips
Journal International des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin
Analysis of ethylidene-bridged flavan-3-ols in wine
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Ethylidene-bridged flavan-3-ols in red wine and correlation with wine age
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Characterization of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Carménère grape and wine proanthocyanidins
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Multivariate data analysis as a discriminating method of the origin of wines
Vitis
Cited by (154)
Mannoproteins, arabinogalactan protein, rhamnogalacturonan II and their pairwise combinations regulating wine astringency induced by the interaction of proanthocyanidins and proteins
2023, International Journal of Biological MacromoleculesThe effects of regions and the wine aging periods on the condensed tannin profiles and the astringency perceptions of Cabernet Sauvignon wines
2022, Food Chemistry: XCitation Excerpt :Velvety astringency was not significantly correlated with %G. However, the literature has no agreement regarding the correlation between %G and astringency. Chira et al. (2011) observed a positive correlation between %G and astringency. Chira et al. (2012) showed that %G values were negatively correlated with the astringency of grape seed extracts.
High spatial heterogeneity of water stress levels in Refošk grapevines cultivated in Classical Karst
2022, Agricultural Water Management