Bisulfite (HSO3-) is the predominant form of sulfur dioxide, present as free and bound to wine relevant electrophiles under wine acidic pH. While sulfonation reactions of flavanols and thiols have been recently reported as key for wine preservation against oxidation, the transient mechanisms and physicochemical parameters responsible for that remain unknown. In the present study, sulfonation reaction kinetics of thiols and flavanols were monitored under simulated wine aging conditions. The reaction products were then characterized by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis, and their chemical stability during time was determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Thiol and flavanol sulfonation reaction yields were both promoted by the presence of iron and oxygen, while their chemical stability was confirmed under the same conditions. The sulfonation derivatives of epicatechin and cysteine were synthesized and quantified in young and aged wines. Higher concentrations were reported for both metabolites in older wines, indicating their participation on the strongly bound sulfur dioxide fraction. These findings offer new prospects for more precise use of sulfur dioxide in winemaking.
Keywords: chardonnay; cysteine; epicatechin; oxidation; wine aging.