Introduction to Oxidation in Wine Andrew L. Waterhouse Department of Viticulture & Enology University of California, Davis
Oxidation Avoidance Traditional limit to wine preservation Current technology can exclude oxygen Wine oxidation - a fault?
Manage Wine Oxidation At crush / press –Anaerobic press to hyperoxidation Fermentation –Add oxygen for yeast, reductive aromas Post fermentation/s –Micro-ox, barrels, racking In bottle –Affects flavor development
Oxygen Measurement Standard meter –Limit of Detection ~0.5 ppm Orbisphere or other Clark electrode –LOD ~2 ppb Nomasense, Mocon, others –Oxydots, fiber optic measure-contact not needed! 10 ppb –Temperature sensitive!
Antioxidants SO 2 Ascorbic acid Glutathione
Wine Oxidation Chemistry Oxygen reacts with phenols to yield quinone and hydrogen peroxide Hydrogen peroxide oxidizes ethanol to acetaldehyde
Known Oxidation Products Quinones –Thiol adducts –Coupling Products Aldehydes –Acetaldehyde –Glyoxylic Acid (Tartaric Acid product) –Flavonoid coupling
Oxidative Changes in Wine Formation of quinones from catechols –React with thiols, SO 2, ascorbate, phenolics Fenton oxidation of alcohols –Formation of aldehydes –Reactions of all other substances
Oxygen Reduction Cascade
Oxygen Pathway in Wine
Sulfur Dioxide and Oxygen Sulfite is the sink for oxidation O SO 2 2 SO 3 1 mg of O 2 will consume 4 mg SO 2 SO 3 + H 2 O H 2 SO 4
Polyphenols are Pro-oxidants Generation of quinone and hydrogen peroxide from dioxygen
Nikolantonaki, ACA 660: 102 (10) Blanchard, AJEV 55:115 (04) Catechin + 3-Mercaptohexanol
Catechin dimer in model juice Poupard, J Chrom A, 1179: 161 (08)
Quinone Options
Oxygen Pathway in Wine
Peroxide Competition
Wine Minor Components
Oxidation of Wine Acids (Alcohols) to Carbonyls Pyruvic –Observed in wine –Reacts with anthocyanins to make wine pigments Glyoxylic –Observed in wine –Condenses with flavan-3-ols
Aldehyde Pigment Reactions “D-ring” formation by acetaldehyde and pyruvate
Alcohol Oxidations with ∙OH Aldehydes known oxidation products
Wine Oxidation Aroma and color changes Can be managed –A few key steps need better understanding Many current investigations State of the art and practice today