Comparative Study of the Sensory Impacts of Acidifiers for Red Wine Production

Rising temperatures have caused a major shift in wine chemistry, including increased sugar and pH along with decreased acidity. Wines produced from such grapes tend to be microbiologically unstable and are often described as unpalatable. This study looks at treatments to lower pH and enhance sensory...

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Main Authors: Abigail Keng, Ronan Symoneaux, Andrew Lyne, Andreea Botezatu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Beverages
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/11/1/20
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author Abigail Keng
Ronan Symoneaux
Andrew Lyne
Andreea Botezatu
author_facet Abigail Keng
Ronan Symoneaux
Andrew Lyne
Andreea Botezatu
author_sort Abigail Keng
collection DOAJ
description Rising temperatures have caused a major shift in wine chemistry, including increased sugar and pH along with decreased acidity. Wines produced from such grapes tend to be microbiologically unstable and are often described as unpalatable. This study looks at treatments to lower pH and enhance sensory characteristics of wines produced from grapes grown at higher temperatures. The four acidification treatments included the following: tartaric acid; verjus—an acidic juice made from unripe grapes; glucose oxidase with catalase enzyme (GOx), which converts glucose to gluconic acid; and ion exchange. All treatments were able to reduce pH to the target pH of 3.6. Sensory analysis was conducted using the Hierarchical Rate-All-That-Apply (HRATA) method and preference testing. Analysis of the HRATA and GCMS data using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) accounted for 78.69% and 70% of the variance observed, respectively. Wines treated with GOx and verjus exhibited the most distinct sensory profiles when compared to each other, the other treatments, and the control group. GOx-treated wines were associated with positive flavor descriptors including caramel, hazelnut, lemon, and fruity which correlated well with the aromatic compounds determined by GCMS. There were no significant differences in consumer preferences of treatments. This study shows how different acidifiers can be utilized by winemakers to affect not just the pH and acidity but also the aromatic and flavor profile of the wine.
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spelling doaj-art-ba9a2db1a27d4bc58f6ecf6fc06083ba2025-08-20T03:12:14ZengMDPI AGBeverages2306-57102025-01-011112010.3390/beverages11010020Comparative Study of the Sensory Impacts of Acidifiers for Red Wine ProductionAbigail Keng0Ronan Symoneaux1Andrew Lyne2Andreea Botezatu3Department of Horticulture Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USAGRAPPE, ESA, USC 1422 INRAE, SensoVeg, SFR 4207 QUASAV, 55 rue Rabelais, F-49007 Angers, FranceDepartment of Horticulture Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USADepartment of Horticulture Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USARising temperatures have caused a major shift in wine chemistry, including increased sugar and pH along with decreased acidity. Wines produced from such grapes tend to be microbiologically unstable and are often described as unpalatable. This study looks at treatments to lower pH and enhance sensory characteristics of wines produced from grapes grown at higher temperatures. The four acidification treatments included the following: tartaric acid; verjus—an acidic juice made from unripe grapes; glucose oxidase with catalase enzyme (GOx), which converts glucose to gluconic acid; and ion exchange. All treatments were able to reduce pH to the target pH of 3.6. Sensory analysis was conducted using the Hierarchical Rate-All-That-Apply (HRATA) method and preference testing. Analysis of the HRATA and GCMS data using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) accounted for 78.69% and 70% of the variance observed, respectively. Wines treated with GOx and verjus exhibited the most distinct sensory profiles when compared to each other, the other treatments, and the control group. GOx-treated wines were associated with positive flavor descriptors including caramel, hazelnut, lemon, and fruity which correlated well with the aromatic compounds determined by GCMS. There were no significant differences in consumer preferences of treatments. This study shows how different acidifiers can be utilized by winemakers to affect not just the pH and acidity but also the aromatic and flavor profile of the wine.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/11/1/20acidificationclimate changeHRATAsensorywine
spellingShingle Abigail Keng
Ronan Symoneaux
Andrew Lyne
Andreea Botezatu
Comparative Study of the Sensory Impacts of Acidifiers for Red Wine Production
Beverages
acidification
climate change
HRATA
sensory
wine
title Comparative Study of the Sensory Impacts of Acidifiers for Red Wine Production
title_full Comparative Study of the Sensory Impacts of Acidifiers for Red Wine Production
title_fullStr Comparative Study of the Sensory Impacts of Acidifiers for Red Wine Production
title_full_unstemmed Comparative Study of the Sensory Impacts of Acidifiers for Red Wine Production
title_short Comparative Study of the Sensory Impacts of Acidifiers for Red Wine Production
title_sort comparative study of the sensory impacts of acidifiers for red wine production
topic acidification
climate change
HRATA
sensory
wine
url https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/11/1/20
work_keys_str_mv AT abigailkeng comparativestudyofthesensoryimpactsofacidifiersforredwineproduction
AT ronansymoneaux comparativestudyofthesensoryimpactsofacidifiersforredwineproduction
AT andrewlyne comparativestudyofthesensoryimpactsofacidifiersforredwineproduction
AT andreeabotezatu comparativestudyofthesensoryimpactsofacidifiersforredwineproduction