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Blending wines from grapes harvested at different stages of ripeness can reduce the negative effects of climate change on viticulture. This is what scientists from the Spanish University of Murcia found out in a study. Cuveting can increase the sensory quality of the wines, as it improves colour, fruit aromas and mouthfeel. In recent years, global warming has led to a shift in the physiological development of vines and grapes, shortening the period between ripening and harvest and affecting the link between the physiological and phenolic ripeness of the grapes. This particularly affects viticulture in the Mediterranean countries.
The study published a few days ago therefore deals with the development of a strategy to reduce the alcohol content in wines without changing their phenolic composition as well as colour and aromatic parameters - or even improving them. In the process presented, fermented, unripe grapes are used to produce a wine with high acidity and low alcohol content. This wine was cuvéed with wine produced from grapes from the same vineyard with optimal phenolic maturity. The aim of the study was to produce wines with higher phenolic and anthocyanin concentrations (more intense colour), high acidity and lower alcohol.
The results show that a cuvée of wine from unripe as well as fully ripe grapes has a "lower alcohol content and better physico-chemical parameters" compared to wine only from fully ripe grapes. The significant increase in acidity is worth mentioning. In addition, the scientists achieved higher values for colour intensity, total phenol index, anthocyanin and tannin content. The method is "easy to apply in most wineries and does not require any additional costs or equipment".
(uka / Source: OenoOne - Photo: 123rf)