Phenolic Composition and Related Properties of Aged Wine Spirits: Influence of Barrel Characteristics. A Review

Abstract

Abstract:The freshly distilled wine spirit has a high concentration of ethanol and many volatile compounds, but is devoid of phenolic compounds other than volatile phenols. Therefore, an ageing period in the wooden barrel is required to attain sensory fullness and high quality. During this process, several phenomena take place, namely the release of low molecular weight phenolic compounds and tannins from the wood into the wine spirit. Research conducted over the last decades shows that they play a decisive role on the physicochemical characteristics and relevant sensory properties of the beverage. Their contribution to the antioxidant activity has also been emphasized. Besides, some studies show the modulating effect of the ageing technology, involving different factors such as the barrel features (including the wood botanical species, those imparted by the cooperage technology, and the barrel size), the cellar conditions, and the operations performed, on the phenolic composition and related properties of the aged wine spirit. This review aims to summarize the main findings on this topic, taking into account two featured barrel characteristics-the botanical species of the wood and the toasting level.

Volatile Composition of Some Red Wines from Romania Assessed by GC-MS

“…Barrels are the same in coopering methods and are provided by the same tonnellerie, so the barrel type had no influence in volatile acidity. Titratable acidity (Table 1) presented an increase due to the rise in volatile acidity, during the 6 months of ageing this rise, indicating the extraction of carboxylic, phenolic and volatile acids from wood, as suggested by Canas, 2017 [45]. In all wine samples, free and total SO 2 content decreased with storage time.…”

“…Acetovanillone arises from thermal degradation of lignin from oak barrels, although their extraction into wine occurs via different means [45]. Garde-Cerdan et al, 2002 [61] state that acetovanillone was extracted from the wine up to 10 months of ageing and afterward its concentration diminished slightly.…”

Extraction of phenolics from new oak casks during spirit maturation: impact on spirit colour

“…This was similar for colour but with a reduction of rate after 10–12 years. The composition of the dry extract is complex and includes lignins, polysaccharides, tannins and other phenols which contribute to the complexity and quality of beverages . Of these, polyphenols represented 37% and ellagitannins accounted for <10% (data not shown).…”

Application of solid-phase extraction for isolation of coumarins from wine samples

“…glycosides are bitter, aglycones are acidic). The content of coumarins in wood changes through the degradation of the wood lignin during the heat treatment of the barrel and also depends on the type of the wood (Ribéreau-Gayon et al 2006;De Rosso et al 2009;Canas 2017). The main coumarins in wine are aesculetin (6,7-dihydroxycoumarin), aesculin (6,7-dihydroxy-coumarin-6glucoside), scopoletin (7-methoxy-6-hydroxycoumarin), and scopolin (scopoletin-7-glucoside).…”

“…The main coumarins in wine are aesculetin (6,7-dihydroxycoumarin), aesculin (6,7-dihydroxy-coumarin-6glucoside), scopoletin (7-methoxy-6-hydroxycoumarin), and scopolin (scopoletin-7-glucoside). In some wines, 4-hydroxycoumarin and umbelliferone (7-hydroxycoumarin) were identified (Liberatore et al 2010;Canas 2017). Coumarins can be used for evaluation of wine, as a possible markers of storage of wines in wood barrels.…”