SPARKLING WINE HAS �MORE FLAVOURS� WHEN TIRAGE PERFORMED UNDER CORK, SAYS SCIENTIST
In an exclusive interview with the drinks business on Tuesday this week, Jos� Machado, head scientist for sparkling wine at the world�s largest cork producer, Amorim, discussed the findings of a five-year project to see whether they are benefits to sparkling wine from tirage performed under cork stoppers, as opposed to the much more widely used crown caps � which are metal closures with a plastic lining, commonly used to seal beer bottles.
As previously reported by db, some sparkling wine producers choose to perform the second fermentation under cork because it is believed to yield a better result � although the science for why this may be the case is little understood.
For example, within the Mo�t Hennessy group, Dom P�rignon uses cork for the tirage of its bottles destined for extended ageing in their cellars, which are released at Plentidues 1 and 2 � while Ruinart uses cork for its top-end expression, called Dom Ruinart.
All other expressions from these houses, however, are sealed with crown caps for the secondary fermentation, because it is a cheaper solution. (The crown cap is expelled with the frozen sediment during the disgorging process, and the sparkling wine is then re-sealed with cork, which is why one very rarely sees sparkling wines in the market with crown caps).
Machado now believes he has the evidence to show that there are differences in sparkling wines aged under an Amorim two-disc agglomerated cork stopper, which is made by combining an agglomerated cork with two discs of cork, which are placed on the part of the stopper that is in contact with the wine.
His tests over the past five years have considered three aspects to the sparkling wines, which are the retention of carbon dioxide, oxygen kinetics, and the volatile components of the wine.
Importantly for sparkling winemakers, his research has shown a difference in the last aspect of the study, with those wines that undergo tirage under cork showing �chemical data differences� compared to those under crown cap.
Such differences concern, for example, volatiles such as esters, which are compounds that bring fruity flavours to wine, and are found to be higher, and above sensory thresholds, in those sparkling wines under cork in the Amorim study.
He explained, �We have found that the cork is better at preserving some volatiles in the wine such as esters, and we can sense this in the nose and in the taste, and we can see it in the chemical data.�
When asked by db why this finding may have occurred, Machado said that it could be due to the plastics used in the lining of the crown caps. With a material such as polyethylene in contact with the wine, he said that he believes that it is scalping the volatile composition of the fizz.
He commented, �Obviously some companies do tirage for 20 years, so after five years [for this study so far] we are only at the beginning.�
Continuing he said, �But after five years we have found some very positive tendencies, as we have seen that the natural cork stopper is better at preserving the wine.�
He added, �For example, we have found with sparkling wine from Catalonia that after 36 months we have a greater preservation of volatile compounds, measured in terms of the concentration of esters, in the wines under cork when compared to crown caps.�
Summing up, he said on this aspect of the study, �So we have a better aromatic component, and the consistency is better in terms of sensory performance, and obviously we need more time to have more data, but so far, it is very positive.�
As for the other aspects to the study, he said that there was no difference in the amount of carbon dioxide retained in those sparkling wines that undergo second fermentation under cork or crown cap, with both closure types seeing a loss of 0.5 bar of pressure over 4-5 years.
Regarding the oxygen kinetics, he said that this was a �little bit higher� in corks compared to crown caps. This relates to an expulsion of oxygen contained within the micro-pores of the cork when it is inserted into the bottle and compressed.
According to Machado, this has a beneficial impact on the sparkling wine because �it gives more balance in terms of oxygen and reduction�.
When asked by db to explain this statement, he said that during tirage, which sees the breakdown of components � such as dead yeast cells � in the wine, there is a consumption of the dissolved oxygen in the liquid, meaning that the process of secondary fermentation in the bottle is reductive.
And such a process can potentially yield unwanted aromas due to this, such as sulphur-like odours.
�The tendency during tirage is to have some reduction, but with a cork stopper, there is an injection of 2 to 2.5mg of oxygen per bottle, which will balance your wine and mean there is less reduction.�
in terms of winemaker sensory perception of what is a �good balance� in terms an imaginary scale with oxidation at one end and reduction at the other, Machado told db this has been assessed according to testing.
�We have evaluated the balance in terms of sensory perception on a scale of 1 to 10, where a value of 3-4 is seen as a good balance between oxidation and reduction,� he said.
�With crown caps, the result averages around 2.5, and under cork, it is around 4,� he added.
He then commented, �This doesn�t mean more oxidation, but it means it is closer to a balance between reduction and oxidation.�
In general, the lack of more reductive aromas, and the better preservation of esters in the sparkling wines aged under cork, means that the winemakers �prefer them�.
Together, Machado has recorded that �We have more open wine, with more flavours: more fruit, more toast, more brioche.�
As for the time scale, he added that, depending on the wine�s composition, he has observed differences after 2.5 years.
Meanwhile, db was informed that all the corks used in the tirage process undergo Amorim�s NDtech screening process before delivery, which provides a �non-detectable� TCA guarantee for every stopper.
While Amorim cannot reveal its partners in this research, the Portuguese cork company told db that it comprised as many as 50 companies around the world and these took in all major traditional method sparkling wine regions, from Champagne to Cava and Franciacorta, as well as non-European sparkling wine producing areas, such as the Western Cape in South Africa.
Finally, Amorim�s head of marketing and communications, Carlos de Jesus � fully aware that scientific research on the details of sparkling wine evolution may not seem key news during the tense times of a viral pandemic � commented that it was the company�s duty in his view to �plough on�, commenting, �We have been through worse times� our factories are operating; we are selling stoppers; we are working.�
How do you feel on the subject of Margaret River Wines?
With the surge of organic wines in recent years, there has been a brand-new pattern in the red wine sector - where the grapes are grown. It is this info that is creating frustrations for some of the big wineries, as many of their a glass of wine ranges have actually been changed with organic wines that are extra harmonic with consumers.
Several of the large vineyards that when generated red wine from multi-generational vineyards are currently producing red wine from vineyards which are simply a few decades old. This creates the red wine to be labeled as "regional" red wine as opposed to regionally made, and the tags have a tendency to have a term that informs people that it is an organic a glass of wine.
Organic wines that are not identified "regional" are not, necessarily, genuinely organic. So, if you wish to taste wines made from organic grapes, you need to understand what the distinction is in between a local white wine and organic wine.
When the grapes made use of in the red wine are not from an older winery, they are not going to be controlled similarly as wines produced from old-growth creeping plants. There is not an International Company for Standardization (ISO) for a glass of wine, so the qualification of white wine that is made use of in the United States will be various than Europe or Australia.
A good indicator of whether a wine is really made from an old-growth vineyard or not is to take a look at the cork. If the cork made use of on the wine is a "sawdust" or a plastic cork that does not secure securely versus the wine, it is not genuinely from an old-growth vineyard.
Old-growth wineries use no chemicals and pesticides to maintain their grapes secure from parasites. They will certainly not spray chemicals or herbicides, and also no chemicals or pesticides are utilized to stop the fruit from deteriorating away.
When you hear the term "organic a glass of wine," these are not the wines that you are consuming. The process of making organic wine from these kinds of wineries are still quite various from the typical approach.
A brand-new item, organic a glass of wine from old-growth wineries, has actually become very popular because these grapes do not experience the kind of chemical therapy that routine wines undergo. The production of natural white wine from this technique is a lengthy and also meticulous procedure.
First, the grape varieties utilized are expanded in simply the right growing conditions for the particular range of grapes. Next off, they are permitted to do a particular quantity of growing that mimics the development rate that the creeping plants are accustomed to.
The great post to read red wine has to go with a series of secondary fermentation procedures to see to it that everything is functioning effectively. Finally, the wine is bottled at the best temperature levels for keeping and also sampling it.
If you are looking for a regional a glass of wine, then this type of a glass of wine is not the very best choice. If you intend to attempt a white wine that has been produced from a genuinely organic approach, attempt among the natural items from the Margaret River area.
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Sauvignon Blanc make for a delicious and top quality merlot. There are other grape selections that will offer you a delicious merlot that you can appreciate throughout the year.
I hope you liked our piece on Margaret River Wines. Thank you for taking a few minutes to browse our content. Do you know about somebody else who is fascinated with Southwest Wines Margaret River? Be sure promote it. Many thanks for going through it.