Influence of partial dealcoholization on the composition and sensory properties of Cabernet Sauvignon wines

Duc-Truc Pham; Renata Ristic; Vanessa J Stockdale; David W Jeffery; Jonathan Tuke; Kerry Wilkinson

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.126869

Influence of partial dealcoholization on the composition and sensory properties of Cabernet Sauvignon wines

Food Chem. 2020 Apr 20:325:126869. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.126869. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Duc-Truc Pham¹, Renata Ristic², Vanessa J Stockdale³, David W Jeffery⁴, Jonathan Tuke⁵, Kerry Wilkinson⁶

Affiliations

¹ The University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia; The Australian Research Council Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia. Electronic address: duc-truc.pham@adelaide.edu.au.
² The University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia; The Australian Research Council Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia. Electronic address: renata.ristic@adelaide.edu.au.
³ The Australian Research Council Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia; Treasury Wine Estate, 97 Sturt Highway, PMB 1, Nuriootpa, SA 5352, Australia. Electronic address: vanessastockdale@bigpond.com.
⁴ The University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia; The Australian Research Council Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia. Electronic address: david.jeffery@adelaide.edu.au.
⁵ The University of Adelaide, School of Mathematical Sciences, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia. Electronic address: simon.tuke@adelaide.edu.au.
⁶ The University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia; The Australian Research Council Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia. Electronic address: kerry.wilkinson@adelaide.edu.au.

PMID: 32387983
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.126869

Abstract

Worldwide, winemakers are increasingly adopting alcohol management strategies to counter the higher wine ethanol concentrations observed over the past ~30 years. Wines with high ethanol levels exhibit increased 'hotness' on the palate, which is generally considered to negatively impact wine quality. This study investigated changes in the chemical and sensory profiles of five Cabernet Sauvignon wines following their partial dealcoholization by reverse osmosis-evaporative perstraction (RO-EP). Descriptive analysis (DA) of wine before and after RO-EP treatment indicated dealcoholization did not strongly affect wine aroma and flavor, consistent with the small changes observed in wine chemical composition. However, significant differences in the perception of wine palate attributes were observed, with dealcoholized wines found to exhibit lower acidity, sweetness, bitterness, saltiness and/or body. Astringency was enhanced following partial dealcoholization of one wine, but diminished in another. Sensory trials were also undertaken to determine the optimal ethanol concentration of wines, or the 'alcohol sweetspot'. Two approaches to alcohol sweetspotting of dealcoholized wines were evaluated, together with two methods of statistical analysis, chi-squared goodness of fit and one proportion tests.

Keywords: Alcohol sweetspot; Descriptive analysis; Evaporative perstraction; Reduced alcohol wine; Reverse osmosis.