Metabolomics of Red Wines Aged Traditionally, with Chips or Staves

• Published in: Foods Vol. 13; no. 2; p. 196
• Main Authors: Dumitriu Gabur, Georgiana-Diana, Sánchez-Suárez, Fernando, Peinado, Rafael A, Cotea, Valeriu V, de Lerma, Nieves López, Gabur, Iulian, Simioniuc, Violeta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.01.2024
• Subjects: ageing system; Aging; Alcohols; Amino acids; Analysis; Aroma compounds; Barrels; Cluster analysis; Costs; Environmental impact; Esters; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Metabolomics; oak chips; Odor; odour activity values; Phenols; Principal components analysis; Production methods; Sensors; Stainless steel; staves; Temperature; toast degree; Wine and wine making; Wineries & vineyards; Wines; United States > US; odour activity values; ageing system; barrels; staves; toast degree; oak chips
• ISSN: 2304-8158; 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods13020196

Traditionally and alternatively aged wines' odour activity values (OAVs) are investigated to differentiate and highlight the differences between the selected methods. An analysis of the volatile aroma compounds of wines derived from ageing in barrels, oak chips, and staves was performed using stir bar sorptive extraction chromatography-mass spectroscopy (SBSE-GC-MS). The results showed that alcohols, esters, and oak compounds were the main contributors to aroma, and their OAVs were higher in the stave samples after 3 months than in the samples from the other two systems of ageing. Furthermore, wines aged with staves have stronger fruity, spiced, and woody aromas, while samples aged in barrels present more chemistry-driven, floral, caramelly, and creamy aromas. The staves-medium plus toast (SMPT at 3 months > 225) and chips-medium plus toast (CMPT at 3 months > 170) showed the highest levels of aromatic series, suggesting that alternative systems provided more powerful aromas than traditional systems, such as barrels-medium plus toast (BMPT at 3 months > 150). A principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) analysis, and cluster analysis allowed for a clear differentiation to be made between red wines according to ageing systems and ageing times. The odour activity values fingerprint in winemaking is a feasible approach to characterise and distinguish wines. Moreover, OAVs provide important information on the effects of production methods on wine quality and aroma profile.