Use of Isotope Ratio Determination (13C/12C) to Assess the Production Method of Sparkling Wine

Abstract

The production of a sparkling wine can be performed with different methods taking from a few weeks to several years, which often justifies a difference in added value for the consumer. This paper presents the use of isotope ratio δ(13)C measurements combined with physico-chemical analyses for the determination of mislabelling of sparkling wines produced by 'ancestral', 'traditional', 'closed tank' or 'gasification' methods. This work shows that the isotope composition of CO(2) compared with that of the corresponding dried residue of wine (DRW) can assess whether carbonate CO(2) in a sparkling wine originates from alcohol fermentation or from artificial gas addition. Isotopic ratios expressed as δ(13)C(CO2) and δ(13)C(DRW) measurements have been obtained for each wine by gasbench isotopic ratio mass spectroscopy and cavity ring down infrared spectroscopy, respectively. When the difference between δ(13)C(CO2) and δ(13)C(DRW) is negative, the presence of artificial CO(2) can be undoubtedly inferred, which would exclude the production methods 'ancestral' or 'traditional' for instance. Other parameters such as alcohol content, sugar and acid distributions are also important to complete the analytical panel to aid fraud tracking.

Food Adulteration in Switzerland: From 'Ravioli' over 'Springbok' to 'Disco Sushi'

“…2) whereas modern methods use the isotopic distribution for discrimination of wines (see e.g. article by Rossier in this issue [2] ).…”

Locally Grown, Natural Ingredients? The Isotope Ratio Can Reveal a Lot!

“…(2) has been chosen by convention to be a rock from California, named Pee Dee Belemnite (PDB), This material had an anomalously high 13 C/ 12 C ratio (0.0112372), and was established as the δ 13 C value of zero. [4] A product enriched with 13 C carbon will exhibit a more positive δ 13 C value whereas one with a lower 13 C concentration will present a more negative one.…”

“…A detailed description of the analysis of the isotope ratio in sparkling wine can be found elsewhere in this issue. [4] Similarly, it is possible to distinguish whether further constituents such as flavours, colorants or sweeteners are artificial, i.e. synthetized, or of natural origin.…”

“…It enables gases to be monitored in seconds or less at the parts per billion level, and some gases at the parts per trillion level. [4,6] 3. Selected Examples of Isotope Analyses in the Domain of Food Authenticity 3.1 Assessment of the Origin of Fruits and Vegetables Grown Locally.…”

Comparison of ancestral and traditional methods for elaborating sparkling wines

“…There is extensive scientific literature on sparkling wines made with the traditional method and many research groups have studied them ( Cilindre et al, 2021 ; Esteruelas et al, 2015 ; Marchal et al, 2001 ; Kemp et al, 2015 ; Martínez-García et al, 2017 ; Medina-Trujillo et al, 2017 ; Liger-Belair & Cilindre, 2021 ; Wilson et al, 2022 ). However, there is almost no scientific literature on sparkling wines made with the ancestral method and only a few articles have appeared on the subject only very recently ( Dachery et al, 2023 ; Makarov and Lutkov, 2021 ; Rossier et al, 2016 ). Given this lack of information and the great interest that many wineries have about the subject, the aim of this work is to compare the composition and sensory qualities of sparkling wines elaborated with the ancestral and traditional methods from the same grapes.…”