Alternative fining of Sangiovese wine: effect on phenolic substances and sensory characteristics

Abstract

Background and Aims In recent years, alternative fining practices have increasingly been adopted by the wine industry. The use of plant proteins, as alternatives to traditional fining agents of animal origin for clarification, meets the expectations of a safe product. The effect of alternative fining practices was studied in Sangiovese wine. Methods and Results Four wines of variable phenolic composition were fined with a protein of vegetable origin (patatin) and one of animal origin (gelatin) at 5 and10 g/hL, and the influence on phenolic substances (colour parameters, CIElab coordinates, polymeric pigments, anthocyanins, flavans reactive to vanillin, tannins reactive to bovine serum albumin and saliva) and sensory characteristics (astringency, bitterness, astringency subqualities, odour, and aroma) compared. Colour showed that the efficiency of fining depends on: dose for high tannin wine and protein type for wines with a low concentration of anthocyanins. Astringency decreased in high tannin wine and bitterness in low anthocyanin wine following fining. Fined wines resulted in improved astringency subqualities and aroma descriptors. Conclusions The efficacy of traditional and alternative fining practices is influenced by the composition of wine phenolic substances. Significance of the Study Due to the potential allergenicity of animal proteins, plant proteins represent a safe and healthy alternative to the traditional fining of Sangiovese wine.

Commercial Mannoproteins Improve the Mouthfeel and Colour of Wines Obtained by Excessive Tannin Extraction

“…Sangiovese wines were evaluated in duplicate by 13 trained assessors (comprising five women between the ages of 35–50 and eight men between the ages of 25–44 years), as previously described [ 9 , 28 ]. Two tasting evaluations of four anonymous samples were conducted on each session.…”

“…This practice is usually applied to obtain wines richer in phenolic compounds and with a longer shelf-life, but sometimes, these wines are too rich in phenolic compounds responsible for bitterness and astringency [ 7 ]. Fining treatments with high doses of animal and vegetable proteins are necessary to diminish the content of flavanols and proanthocyanidins and decrease the undesired mouthfeel sensations elicited by these compounds [ 8 , 9 ]. Fining practices, on the other hand, can impoverish the aroma of wines, so the commercial value of these products may be low anyway.…”

Evaluation of Plant-Based Byproducts as Green Fining Agents for Precision Winemaking

“…Patatin does not require labeling as a potential allergen (unlike casein and egg white, for example) and is suitable for vegetarians and vegans as well (unlike gelatin, for example). The ability of patatin to reduce the flavanol compounds responsible for astringency in red wines was uncertain [ 8 , 16 ], as was the effect of patatin dosage on the time course of tannin and phenolic removal in red wine [ 17 , 18 ].…”