Untargeted Metabolomics Approach Using UHPLC-HRMS to Unravel the Impact of Fermentation on Color and Phenolic Composition of Rosé Wines.

Color is a major quality trait of rosé wines due to their packaging in clear glass bottles. This color is due to the presence of phenolic pigments extracted from grapes to wines and products of reactions taking place during the wine-making process. This study focuses on changes occurring during the alcoholic fermentation of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault musts, which were conducted at laboratory (250 mL) and pilot (100 L) scales. The color and phenolic composition of the musts and wines were analyzed using UV-visible spectrophotometry, and metabolomics fingerprints were acquired by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry. Untargeted metabolomics data highlighted markers of fermentation stage (must or wine) and markers related to the grape variety (e.g., anthocyanins in Syrah, hydroxycinnamates and tryptophan derivatives in Grenache, norisoprenoids released during fermentation in Cinsault). Cinsault wines contained higher molecular weight compounds possibly resulting from the oxidation of phenolics, which may contribute to their high absorbance values.

New Light on the Varietal Thiols Pathway during Alcoholic Fermentation: Role of 3-S-(N-Acetyl-cysteinyl)-hexan-1-ol (NAC3SH).

For many years, knowledge on thiol precursors has been limited to S-conjugates of glutathione (G3SH), cysteine (Cys3SH), and later on the dipeptides γ-GluCys and CysGly. In this work, we took the parallel between precursor degradation and the glutathione-mediated detoxification pathway a step further by considering a new type of derivative, 3-S-(N-acetyl-l-cysteinyl)hexanol (NAC3SH). This compound was synthesized and then added to the existing liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method of thiol precursors. This intermediate was only identified during alcoholic fermentation in synthetic must spiked with G3SH (1 mg/L or 2.45 µmol/L) in the presence of copper with concentration above 1.25 mg/L, which demonstrates for the first time the existence of this new derivative (until 126 µg/L or 0.48 µmol/L) and the capacity of the yeast to produce such a compound. Its status as a precursor was also studied during fermentation, in which a release of 3-sulfanylhexanol was noted corresponding to a conversion yield close to 0.6%. This work completed the thiol precursor's degradation pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in synthetic conditions with a new intermediate, confirming its connection with the xenobiotic detoxification pathway and giving new insights on the precursor's fate.

Multi-method study of the impact of fermentation on the polyphenol composition and color of Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah rosé wines.

Rosé wines show large color diversity, due to different phenolic pigment compositions. However, the mechanisms responsible for such diversity are poorly understood. The present work aimed at investigating the impact of fermentation on the color and composition of rosé wines made from Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah grapes. Targeted MS analysis showed large varietal differences in must and wine compositions, with higher concentrations of anthocyanins and flavanols in Syrah. UV-visible spectrophotometry and size exclusion chromatography data indicated that Grenache and Cinsault musts contained oligomeric pigments derived from hydroxycinnamic acids and flavanols which were mostly lost during fermentation due to adsorption on lees. Syrah must color was mainly due to anthocyanins which were partly converted to derived pigments through reactions with yeast metabolites with limited color drop during fermentation. This work highlighted the impact of must composition, reflecting varietal characteristics, on changes occurring during fermentation and consequently wine color.

Elucidating the Color of Rosé Wines Using Polyphenol-Targeted Metabolomics.

The color of rosé wines is extremely diverse and a key element in their marketing. It is due to the presence of anthocyanins and of additional pigments derived from them and from other wine constituents. To explore the pigment composition and determine its links with color, 268 commercial rosé wines were analysed. The concentration of 125 polyphenolic compounds was determined by a targeted metabolomics approach using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS) analysis in the Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) mode and the color characterised by spectrophotometry and CieLab parameters. Chemometrics analysis of the composition and color data showed that although color intensity is primarily determined by polyphenol extraction (especially anthocyanins and flavanols) from the grapes, different color styles correspond to different pigment compositions. The salmon shade of light rosé wines is mostly due to pyranoanthocyanin pigments, resulting from reactions of anthocyanins with phenolic acids and pyruvic acid, a yeast metabolite. Redness of intermediate color wines is related to anthocyanins and carboxypoyranoanthocyanins and that of dark rosé wines to products of anthocyanin reactions with flavanols while yellowness of these wines is associated to oxidation.

Comprehensive Study of the Evolution of the Gas-Liquid Partitioning of Acetaldehyde during Wine Alcoholic Fermentation.

Determining the gas-liquid partitioning ( Ki) of acetaldehyde during alcoholic fermentation is an important step in the optimization of fermentation control with the aim of minimizing the accumulation of this compound, which is responsible for the undesired attributes of green apples and fresh-cut grass in wines. In this work, the effects of the main fermentation parameters on the Ki of acetaldehyde were assessed. Ki values were found to be dependent on the temperature and composition of the medium. A nonlinear correlation between the evolution of the Ki and fermentation progress was observed, attributable to the strong retention effect of ethanol at low concentrations, and it was demonstrated that the partitioning of this specific molecule was not influenced by the CO2 production rate. A model was developed that quantifies the Ki of acetaldehyde with a very accurate prediction, as the difference between the observed and predicted values did not exceed 9%.

Study and modeling of the evolution of gas-liquid partitioning of hydrogen sulfide in model solutions simulating winemaking fermentations.

The knowledge of gas-liquid partitioning of aroma compounds during winemaking fermentation could allow optimization of fermentation management, maximizing concentrations of positive markers of aroma and minimizing formation of molecules, such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), responsible for defects. In this study, the effect of the main fermentation parameters on the gas-liquid partition coefficients (Ki) of H2S was assessed. The Ki for this highly volatile sulfur compound was measured in water by an original semistatic method developed in this work for the determination of gas-liquid partitioning. This novel method was validated and then used to determine the Ki of H2S in synthetic media simulating must, fermenting musts at various steps of the fermentation process, and wine. Ki values were found to be mainly dependent on the temperature but also varied with the composition of the medium, especially with the glucose concentration. Finally, a model was developed to quantify the gas-liquid partitioning of H2S in synthetic media simulating must to wine. This model allowed a very accurate prediction of the partition coefficient of H2S: the difference between observed and predicted values never exceeded 4%.

Comprehensive study of the evolution of gas-liquid partitioning of aroma compounds during wine alcoholic fermentation.

Calculating the gas-liquid partitioning of aromatic molecules during winemaking fermentation is essential to minimize the loss of aroma and to optimize the fermentation conditions. In this study, the effect of the main fermentation parameters on the partition coefficients (ki) of higher alcohols (2-methylpropan-1-ol and 3-methyl butan-1-ol) and esters (ethyl acetate, 3-methyl-1-butyl acetate, and 2-ethyl hexanoate) was assessed. The values of ki were first determined in synthetic media simulating must and wine. They varied considerably with both the hydrophobicity of the compound and the composition of the medium. Then, the effect of temperature on ki was quantified. The absence of any effect of gas composition was also established by replacing air with CO2. Finally, the impact of CO2 stripping was assessed by running specific fermentations in which the rate of CO2 production was kept constant by perfusion with assimilable nitrogen. These fermentations showed that in contrast to temperature and must composition, CO2 stripping did not change the gas-liquid partitioning of higher alcohols and esters.