South Africa Wine Research Projects

3. OENOLOGY RESEARCH PROJECT IN PROGRESS

THE ROLE OF PHENOLIC LEVELS IN SPARKLING WINES: OPTIMISATION OF JUICE YIELD EXTRACTION IN SPARKLING WINE PRODUCTION WW JT 22-01 Dr Jose-Luis Aleixandre-Tudo, South African Grape and Wine Research Institute, Stellenbosch University Start date: 2022 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 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 their role in the quality perception of sparkling wines. The sensorial thresholds of phenolics in sparkling wines are not well established, and further research can benefit the wine industry. The project aims to investigate phenolics’ influence on the quality perception of sparkling wines based on the initial phenolic concentrations in the juice. The study’s results will hopefully assist in optimising juice yield and the quality of sparkling wines.

SOUTH AFRICA WINE RESEARCH 2024

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