Researcher: Dr. Jose-Luis Aleixandre-Tudo (South African Grape and Wine Research Institute, Stellenbosch University)
Aim and industry relevance
According to winemakers, juice recovery from grapes is of critical importance. In sparkling wine production, press juice fractions are generally kept separate as they are considered of lower quality. This is mainly due to the excessive presence of phenolics. However, phenolic levels can be of little meaning without a better understanding of the role the play in the quality perception of sparkling wines. The sensorial thresholds of phenolics in sparkling wines are not well established and further research on the topic can be very useful for the wine industry. The aim of the project is to investigate the influence of phenolics on the overall quality perception of sparkling wines, based on the initial phenolic concentrations in the juice. The results of the study will hopefully assist in the optimisation of juice yield and the overall quality of sparkling wines.
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