Jean-Christophe Barbe

The detection of α-dicarbonyl compounds in wine by formation of quinoxaline derivatives

A method to determine the most abundant α-dicarbonyl compounds in wine was developed by reaction with 2,3-diaminobenzene. Products such as quinoxaline derivatives were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or by gas chromatography with a mass-selective detector (GC–MS) or a thermoionic detector (GC–NPD). HPLC and detection with a spectrophotometer (313 nm) were used for routine quantitative analysis of wines. The method is sensitive, linear and has good repeatability. Diacetyl, pentane-2,3-dione, glyoxal and methylglyoxal were quantified in a single run; these compounds are always encountered in wines, but levels vary with different types of wine and also during fermentation and maturation processes. A new dicarbonyl compound, phenylglyoxal, was found in wine. The evolution of dicarbonyl compounds during fermentation is reported in this paper. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry

Increase of fruity aroma during mixed T. delbrueckii/S. cerevisiae wine fermentation is linked to specific esters enhancement.

The aim of this work was to study ester formation and the aromatic impact of Torulaspora delbrueckii when used in association with Saccharomyces cerevisiae during the alcoholic fermentation of must. In order to evaluate the influence of the inoculation procedure, sequential and simultaneous mixed cultures were carried out and compared to pure cultures of T. delbrueckii and S. cerevisiae. Our results showed that mixed inoculations allowed the increase, in comparison to S. cerevisiae pure culture, of some esters specifically produced by T. delbrueckii and significantly correlated to the maximal T. delbrueckii population reached in mixed cultures. Thus, ethyl propanoate, ethyl isobutanoate and ethyl dihydrocinnamate were considered as activity markers of T. delbrueckii. On the other hand, isobutyl acetate and isoamyl acetate concentrations were systematically increased during mixed inoculations although not correlated with the development of either species but were rather due to positive interactions between these species. Favoring T. delbrueckii development when performing sequential inoculation enhanced the concentration of esters linked to T. delbrueckii activity. On the contrary, simultaneous inoculation restricted the growth of T. delbrueckii, limiting the production of its activity markers, but involved a very important production of numerous esters due to more important positive interactions between species. These results suggest that the ester concentrations enhancement via interactions during mixed modalities was due to S. cerevisiae production in response to the presence of T. delbrueckii. Finally, sensory analyses showed that mixed inoculations between T. delbrueckii and S. cerevisiae allowed to enhance the complexity and fruity notes of wine in comparison to S. cerevisiae pure culture. Furthermore, the higher levels of ethyl propanoate, ethyl isobutanoate, ethyl dihydrocinnamate and isobutyl acetate in mixed wines were found responsible for the increase of fruitiness and complexity.

Impact of Perceptive Interactions on Red Wine Fruity Aroma

A preparative HPLC method was applied to aromatic red wine extracts. Twenty-five fractions with various flavors were thus obtained, and several aromatic reconstitutions were produced by mixing some of these fractions. Discriminative tests revealed that the omission of some fractions from the mixture of fruity fractions or the addition of others affected the overall expression of fruity aroma. Sensory profile analyses identified significant differences among aromatic reconstitutions in terms of intensity of black-berry, as well as fresh-, and jammy-fruit descriptors. A fraction with a very low fruity note (fraction 17) had an additive effect on the fresh fruity aroma, while fractions with caramel and lactic notes (fractions 3-5) had a masking effect on this aroma and an additive effect on the jammy-fruit aroma. Further analysis revealed that ethyl 2-hydroxy-4-methylpentanoate was eluted in fraction 17, while diacetyl, acetoin, acetic acid, and γ-butyrolactone were eluted in fractions 3-5. Omissions tests established that ethyl 2-hydroxy-4-methylpentanoate was responsible for enhancing black-berry and fresh-fruit aroma and that a combination of diacetyl, acetoin, acetic acid, and γ-butyrolactone, at levels between 2 and 40% of their perception thresholds, had the same hypoadditive effect on the overall and fresh fruity aroma as fractions 3-5.

Instrumental and sensory approaches for the characterization of compounds responsible for wine aroma.

More than 800 aromatic compounds have been identified in wine, some of them at the ng/l level. Wine, therefore, constitutes a very complex matrix, from which it is difficult to isolate a specific aroma character. Gas chromatography–olfactometry (GC–O) applied to wine extracts is used to characterize odor‐active zones that are often treated in a hierarchical way by Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis (AEDA). The aromatic impact of the volatiles is evaluated, generally by determining perception thresholds. This methodology has provided convincing results concerning wine flavors, but it does have its limitations. For instance, data on β‐damascenone have demonstrated that these methods could reach their limits for this volatile, in particular, because of the non‐quantitative representation of aroma extracts of wines, and because of the difficulty to accurately determine the perception threshold in wines for a compound already present. For β‐damascenone, we have shown that its very low detection threshold with GC–O, its wide range, and its dependence on the composition of the medium resulted in overestimating its direct impact on the aroma of wine. Another way to facilitate the characterization of aromatic compounds was, therefore, investigated. High‐Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) methods were developed for the analysis of wine extracts. From an aromatic extract, 25 fractions with various flavors were thus obtained, and reverse‐phase methodology was used for the selection and characterization of red‐ and black‐fruit aromas in red wines.

Identification of Piperitone as an Aroma Compound Contributing to the Positive Mint Nuances Perceived in Aged Red Bordeaux Wines

Although a sensory definition of the aging bouquet of red Bordeaux wines was recently established, its chemical transcription has only partially been elucidated. A multiple-step approach, combining sensory evaluations of red Bordeaux wines and aromatic reconstitutions of wine extract fractions, was used to identify the molecular markers involved. One wine with a high aging-bouquet score and a mint nuance has received particular attention. Various reconstitution and omission tests highlighted the contribution of two specific fractions to the intensity of the perception of mint aroma. Gas chromatography coupled to olfactometry and mass spectrometry was applied to the targeted fractions to identify molecular marker(s) responsible for the mint nuance in fine red Bordeaux wines. A similar analytical process was applied to selected fractions of essential oils presenting mint odors to characterize them and interpret the mass spectrometry data. This approach resulted in the detection of piperitone, a monoterpene ketone that, to the best of our knowledge, was reported for the first time as a contributor to the positive mint aroma of aged red Bordeaux wines.

New Method for Reducing the Binding Power of Sweet White Wines

Sulfur dioxide is now considered to be a toxic chemical by most world health authorities. However, it remains an irreplaceable additive in enology for wine conservation, combining antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Sweet white wines from botrytized grapes retain particularly high SO 2 levels due to their high sulfur dioxide binding power. This paper presents a new method for reducing this binding power by removing some of the carbonyl compounds responsible, which are naturally present in these wines. The main carbonyl compounds responsible for the SO 2 binding power of sweet wines were removed, that is, acetaldehyde, pyruvic acid, 2-oxoglutaric acid, and 5-oxofructose. The method retained was selective liquid-solid removal, using phenylsulfonylhydrazine as a scavenging agent. The scavenging function was grafted on different classes of porous polymer supports, and its efficiency was evaluated on sweet white wines under conditions intended to conserve their organoleptic qualities. The results obtained showed that the method was efficient for removing carbonyl compounds and significantly reduced the binding power of the wines. Sensory analysis revealed that this process did not deteriorate their organoleptic qualities.

Distribution and Organoleptic Impact of Ethyl 3-Hydroxybutanoate Enantiomers in Wine.

Enantiomers of ethyl 3-hydroxybutanoate were assayed in 87 commercial wines from various vintages and origins, using chiral gas chromatography (β-cyclodextrin). Generally, ethyl 3-hydroxybutanoate levels were higher in red than in white wines of the same age. The average S/R enantiomeric ratio of this compound in red wine was approximately 75:25 (± 13), with an average total concentration of ∼ 450 (± 150) μg/L. In red wines, R-form levels increased gradually during aging, but no variations were observed in S-form concentrations. To our knowledge, no previous research had determined the enantiomeric distribution of this compound in wine. The olfactory threshold of the S-form in dilute alcohol solution was 21 mg/L, one-third that of the R-form: 63 mg/L. The S- and R-forms had different aromatic nuances. The olfactory threshold of their mixture (85:15, m/m) was 14 mg/L, indicating a simple additive effect in this binary mixture. Furthermore, the concentrations found in red wines were considerably below the olfactory threshold under the same experimental conditions. Sensory analysis revealed that ethyl 3-hydroxybutanoate (S/R, 85:15, m/m) had an enhancing effect on the perception of fruity aromas in the matrices studied. Sensory profiles highlighted the contribution of ethyl 3-hydroxybutanoate to red-berry and fresh-fruit descriptors, despite its subthreshold concentrations.

The complexity of wine: clarifying the role of microorganisms

The concept of wine complexity has gained considerable interest in recent years, both for wine consumers and wine scientists. As a consequence, some research programs concentrate on the factors that could improve the perceived complexity of a wine. Notably, the possible influence of microbiological factors is particularly investigated. However, wine complexity is a multicomponent concept not easily defined. In this review, we first describe the actual knowledge regarding wine complexity, its perception, and wine chemical composition. In particular, we emphasize that, contrary to expectations, the perception of wine complexity is not related to wine chemical complexity. Then, we review the impact of wine microorganisms on wine complexity, with a specific focus on publications including sensory analyses. While microorganisms definitively can impact wine complexity, the underlying mechanisms and molecules are far from being deciphered. Finally, we discuss some prospective research fields that will help improving our understanding of wine complexity, including perceptive interactions, microbial interactions, and other challenging phenomena.

Correction to Olfactory Impact of Higher Alcohols on Red Wine Fruity Ester Aroma Expression in Model Solution.

Published: February 1, 2016 Figure 2. Detection probability of fruity reconstitution in different matrices: aromatic impact of higher alcohols at (a) low, (b) medium, and (c) high concentrations added to fruity reconstitution in dilute alcohol solution. ∗, expressed in milliliters of total fruity reconstitution (FR) diluted in 50 mL of matrix. DAS, dilute alcohol solution; HA, higher alcohols. The curves are drawn according to a sigmoid function. Addition/Correction

Influence of Nitrogen on the Alcoholic Fermentation during Cabernet sauvignon (Vitis vinifera) Winemaking

Campinas State University (UNICAMP) – Faculty of Food Engineering – Department of Food Science. P.O. Box 6121, CEP 13083-862 Campinas-SP, Brazil. E-mail: dr.danirod@gmail.com. Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT) – Food Engineering. Rodovia BR-070, Km 5, CEP 78600-000 Barra do Garcas-MT, Brazil. Park University, 8700 NW River Park Drive, Parkville, MO 64152, United States. Bordeaux II University – Science Institute of Grape and Wine (ISVV). 210 Chemin de Leysotte, CS 50008, 33882 Villenave D’Ornon, France. Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM) – Department of Food Science and Technology. Roraima Avenue 1000, Cidade Universitaria, CEP 97105-900 Santa Maria-RS, Brazil.