Influence of Oak Chips and Oak Barrel Ageing on Volatile Profile in Chardonnay Wine of Romania

Abstract

The influence of the addition of oak chips and barrel ageing on basic wine parameters and volatile compounds of Chardonnay wines has been studied. Chardonnay wines were obtained by the traditional wine-making process. Oak chips (4 g/L—non-toasted and light toasted) were added at the final stage of the winemaking process for ageing 1, 2 and 3 months, respectively. Also, the control wine was aged in non-toasted barrels for the same period of time. Following Liquid-liquid extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, alcohols, esters, fatty acids, lactones, and phenolic compounds were identified and quantified. The light toasted wine was clearly separated by phenolic compounds (vanillin, p-vinyl guaiacol and acetovanillone). The floral aroma supplied by 2-phenylethanol was slowly increased by ageing with odor activity values (OAV) higher in aged samples than control wine (1.07). The vanilla scent could be easily perceived in all aged samples, mainly for light toasted chip-treated samples with OAV values between 2.30 and 2.37. After 3 months, the volatile compounds of wine from non-toasted medium (chips and barrels) were almost similar from the volatile profile point of view. This could have economic and vinification management implications since oak barrels are expensive and the wine oak barrel aging is a long process. All wines studied in this research can provide a viable alternative to young varietal wines.

Effect of Maturation with American Oak Chips on the Volatile and Sensory Profile of a Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé Wine and Its Comparison with Commercial Wines

“…Beverages 2023, 9, x FOR PEER REVIEW 12 wines have been reported [9][10][11]. For example, Koussissi et al [9] reported a higher centration of furfural and cis-oak-lactone in a red wine from the Greek grape cultivar A iorghitiko that was aged with medium-roasted chips compared to another that had b matured with deep-roasted chips.…”

“…As previously described, the addition of wood chips provided the rosé wine with several sensory descriptors associated with wood aging. However, it would be interesting to carry out a more complete investigation in which different factors, such as number of chips, level of toasting, contact time of chips with wine, and even chips shape, were involved, since different effects on the physicochemical, sensory, and volatile profile of wines have been reported [9][10][11]. For example, Koussissi et al [9] reported a higher concentration of furfural and cis-oak-lactone in a red wine from the Greek grape cultivar Aghiorghitiko that was aged with medium-roasted chips compared to another that had been matured with deep-roasted chips.…”

“…The intensity of these notes will depend on aspects such as the level of toasting, the dose used, and the duration of contact with the wine [6]. Although it is true that different research on the use of oak chips as an alternative to barrel aging have been carried out, the vast majority of these have focused on red wine [9][10][11]. Therefore, the information on the use of this technique on rosé wines is limited.…”

The Impact of Compounds Extracted from Wood on the Quality of Alcoholic Beverages

“…It was believed that this procedure lowered their quality due to the masking of the original fruit and floral notes found in white wines. Esters, alcohols, and terpenes are responsible for these specific floral and fresh notes of white wines [ 64 , 65 ]. Therefore, white wines need a special aging procedure to avoid the roasted and bitter aromas of furan compounds derived from toasted wood [ 66 ].…”

Optimization and Validation of a Method to Determine Enolones and Vanillin Derivatives in Wines—Occurrence in Spanish Red Wines and Mistelles

“…Nevertheless, the quantities thus formed cannot rival the levels released by some types of oak wood during wine aging [ 16 ]. Therefore, the quantification of vanillin derivatives is essential in red or white wines aged with oak chips or oak barrels [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ].…”