BACKGROUND The elemental profile of the Marselan wine cycle was studied with a single ion‐beam technique, namely particle‐induced X‐ray emission (PIXE). Samples were collected from all of the major stages involved in the wine cycle, including soil, vine plant, grape, and different stages of wine processing. RESULTS The results show the influence of field practices on the elemental composition of leaves, branches, grapes, and soil. Mechanisms of element precipitation and elimination from the wine were identified through the changes in the elemental concentrations measured during the post‐harvesting processes. The concentrations of some elements, such as Al, Si, K, and Ni, did not vary for grapes collected at different maturation stages. On the other hand, changes in the concentrations of Si, Cl, Ca, Cu, and K were observed right after the maceration and pressing processes in young wine. Finally, the reduction in the Cu concentration during the last stages of the wine cycle is related to its precipitation in the storage tanks. CONCLUSIONS It was found that field practices and winemaking processes played distinct roles in the elemental composition of grapes and wine from different preparation stages. Moreover, PIXE proved to be a suitable analytical tool for the analysis of the whole wine cycle because it handles solid and liquid samples in a clean and straightforward manner. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry