Teresa Garde-Cerdán

Study of the Evolution of Nitrogen Compounds during Grape Ripening. Application to Differentiate Grape Varieties and Cultivated Systems

The aim of this work was to study the evolution of amino acids and ammonium during grape ripening and to evaluate its application to differentiate grape varieties and cultivated systems (organic and nonorganic). For this purpose, Monastrell, Syrah, Merlot, and Petit Verdot grapes produced using conventional agriculture and Monastrell grape cultivated using organic agriculture, collected during two consecutive harvests at different stages of ripening, were studied. These years of harvest were very different climatic years; even so, the grape varieties presented similar qualitative compositions. Therefore, the percentage of amino acids at harvest moment allowed differentiation of grapes according to variety and cultivated system, regardless of the year. The nitrogen composition could allow estimation of the fermentative aroma potential of grapes. Thus, Syrah was the grape with the greatest aroma potential at harvest. Monastrell nonorganic grape had a concentration of nitrogen compounds superior to that of Monastrell organic grape. In Monastrell, Syrah, and Merlot, traditional varieties in the area, the highest concentration of nitrogen compounds coincided with the highest degrees Baume/total acidity ratio and color index during 2007. Consequently, technological and phenolic maturity of these grape varieties coincided with the maximum composition of nitrogen compounds. However, in 2008, this did not happen because grape ripening was irregular as a consequence of different climatological conditions.

Effect of oak extract application to Verdejo grapevines on grape and wine aroma.

Volatile compounds from a commercial aqueous oak extract application to white Verdejo grapevines at veraison have been studied. Treated grapes under two types of formulation (25% and 100%) have been analyzed at the optimum maturation time, and winemaking was then subsequently carried out. The volatile compounds were analyzed by stir bar sorptive extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results suggest that after the grapevine treatments, grapes store the volatiles in the form of nonvolatile precursors, and some of the volatiles are released during the winemaking process, especially six months after the alcoholic fermentation. The sensory analysis shows that wines maintain the typical aroma properties of Verdejo wines at the end of fermentation; but after six months, the wine color is greener and more astringent, and, in terms of aroma, it has wooden notes as if the wine has been aged in oak barrels.

Improvement of grape and wine phenolic content by foliar application to grapevine of three different elicitors: Methyl jasmonate, chitosan, and yeast extract.

Phenolic compounds play a key role in grape and wine organoleptic properties, being therefore a key parameter in wine quality. Elicitor application constitutes an interesting field of research since it is indirectly involved in the accumulation of phenolic compounds. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of the application of three different elicitors on both grape and wine phenolic content. Methyl jasmonate, chitosan, and a commercial yeast extract were applied to the canopy at veraison and one week later. Results showed that foliar treatments carried out with methyl jasmonate and yeast extract achieved the best results, increasing grape and wine anthocyanin content when compared to the control. Moreover, the application of the yeast elicitor also enhanced grape stilbene content. In contrast, the chitosan treatment did not have a substantial impact on the phenolic compounds. The results of this study indicate that methyl jasmonate and yeast extract applications could be a simple practice to increase grape and wine phenolic content.

Methyl Jasmonate Foliar Application to Tempranillo Vineyard Improved Grape and Wine Phenolic Content

The importance of phenolic compounds for grape and wine quality has drawn attention to studying different practices with the aim of increasing their content. Cluster application of elicitors is a viticultural practice that has shown promising results in recent years. However, cluster application requires a previous defoliation, which is time-consuming and expensive. In the present study, methyl jasmonate was foliar applied to Tempranillo grapevines in order to study its effect on grape and wine phenolic composition. Methyl jasmonate foliar application increased anthocyanin and stilbene content in both grape and wine, besides enhancing wine flavonol content. This treatment induced the synthesis of 3-O-glucosides of petunidin and peonidin and trans-p-coumaroyl derivatives of cyanidin and peonidin. For stilbenes, trans-piceid content was considerably increased in both grape and wine. The results obtained suggest that methyl jasmonate foliar application could be a simple and accessible practice to enhance grape and wine quality.

Pulsed electric field treatment enhanced stilbene content in Graciano, Tempranillo and Grenache grape varieties

The purpose of this paper was to study the effect of pulsed electric fields (PEF) on the stilbene content of three grape varieties. For this purpose, four different PEF treatments were applied using a continuous system over three varieties, Graciano, Tempranillo and Grenache, destemmed and crushed. In addition, the influence of PEF on their physicochemical composition was studied. PEF treatments did not affect the pH or total acidity of Graciano, however, musts from Tempranillo and Grenache had higher pH values and lower total acidity. In the three varieties, all treatments resulted in an increase of potassium content, deeper colour intensity and total polyphenol index and lower tonality, more pronounced in the treatments with higher time and energy. The stilbene content of the must significantly increased with respect to the control. This increase depended on the variety and the treatment applied. Tempranillo increased up 200% the total stilbene concentration, Grenache 60% and Graciano 50%. For the three varieties, the treatment with the highest time and energy was the most effective on the total stilbene extraction. These results indicate that PEF could be a suitable technology for obtaining musts with deeper colour and higher phenolic content, including resveratrol and piceid.

Changes on grape phenolic composition induced by grapevine foliar applications of phenylalanine and urea.

Grapevines may require the input of nitrogen to grow and to guarantee an appropriate grape composition. Recently there has been a growing interest in foliar fertilization, which entails a fast and efficient assimilation of the products. The aim of this work was to study the influence of foliar applications of phenylalanine and urea, at two different doses, on grape anthocyanins, flavonols, flavan-3-ols, phenolic acids, and stilbenes. All treatments were applied at veraison and one week later at doses of 0.9 and 1.5 kg N/ha. The results showed that the synthesis of phenolic compounds was favoured by foliar applications of phenylalanine and urea. The application of the lowest dose of urea was the most effective treatment, increasing the content of several anthocyanins and flavonols. Moreover, none of the foliar treatments worsened the grape phenolic composition. In conclusion, foliar application of phenylalanine and especially urea, could be an interesting management tool for improving grape quality and their health-promoting properties.

Phenylalanine and urea foliar applications to grapevine: effect on wine phenolic content.

Phenolic compounds play a key role in the organoleptic properties of wines. Viticultural practices may influence grape and wine phenolic content, thus determining their quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of foliar applications of phenylalanine and urea, at two different doses, on wine phenolic composition. Grapes were harvested at their optimal technological maturity and their respective wines were elaborated at small scale. Wine detailed phenolic composition was determined. Results revealed that the content of several anthocyanins and flavonols was enhanced by the application of both phenylalanine doses and by the application of the low dose of urea. In contrast, flavanols and non-flavonoid compounds were less affected by the foliar treatments. The findings seem to be related to the time of application, since anthocyanins and flavonols are accumulated after veraison. In conclusion, nitrogen foliar fertilization increased the phenolic content of Tempranillo wines. This could be of interest since anthocyanins and flavonols are associated with wine quality, especially with its color.

Vine-shoot waste aqueous extract applied as foliar fertilizer to grapevines: Effect on amino acids and fermentative volatile content.

The aim of this work was to study the influence of foliar applications of different wood aqueous extracts on the amino acid content of musts and wines from Airén variety; and to study their relationship with the volatile compounds formed during alcoholic fermentation. For this purpose, the foliar treatments proposed were a vine-shoot aqueous extract applied in one and two times, and an oak extract which was only applied once. Results obtained show the potential of Airén vine-shoot waste aqueous extracts to be used as foliar fertilizer, enhancing the wine amino acid content especially when they were applied once. Similar results were observed with the aqueous oak extract. Regarding wine fermentative volatile compounds, there is a close relationship between musts and their wines amino acid content allowing us to discuss about the role of proline during the alcoholic fermentation and the generation of certain volatiles.

Factors influencing the formation of histaminol, hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, and tryptophol in wine: Temperature, alcoholic degree, and amino acids concentration.

The validation of a HPLC-PDA-MS/MS chromatographic method for the quali/quantitative characterization of histaminol, hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, and tryptophol in wine has been described and discussed. Four standards showed a good linearity with high correlation coefficient values (over 0.9989) and LOD and LOQ were 0.001-0.015 mg/L and 0.004-0.045 mg/L, respectively. Furthermore, this study reported how factors such as temperature, alcoholic degree, and amino acids concentration are able to influence the formation of these four alcohols in Monastrell wines. The quantification values of these alcohols has been detected both at the half and end of alcoholic fermentation, and at the end of malolactic fermentation. In relation to interactions between factors, several significant variations emerged (p ⩽ 0.001). The impact of amino acids supplementation in Monastrell must it has been demonstrated, mainly in regards to histaminol and tryptophol.

Molecular analysis of Oenococcus oeni and the relationships among and between commercial and autochthonous strains

The presence and distribution of genotypes from malolactic starter cultures between the autochthonous microbiota in fermenting Rioja wines have been studied in this paper. The commercial cultures characterization allowed to identify different species and common pulsed field gel electrophoresis and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA genotypes in several brands of Oenococcus oeni starter cultures. Four indistinguishable genotypes were found between the commercial and the autochthonous O. oeni strains. These four genotypes appeared during different vintages in seven of the 10 sampled wineries despite bacterial starter cultures had never been used. Therefore, the detection of commercial LAB genotypes indistinguishable from the autochthonous ones involved their removal from a selection process. These genotypes represented the 17.7% of autochthonous O. oeni isolated in this region during three consecutive years. This fact demonstrated that performing similar studies as previous selection criteria is advisable to avoid large work and the proposal of one commercialized bacteria.