Use of alternative wood chips from new botanical species. Their impact on phenolic composition and sensory properties of a white wine from Encruzado grape variety

Mestrado Vinifera Euromaster - Instituto Superior de Agronomia - UL

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects that Acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia), Cherry (Prunus avium), American oak (Quercus alba) and French oak (Quercus petraea) wood chips have on the evolution of the phenolic composition and sensorial properties of a white wine from Encruzado grape variety, during a storage period of 4 weeks. Chemical analysis were carried out: total phenols, flavonoid and non-flavonoid phenols, chromatic aspects, susceptibility to browning and tanning power. A sensory analysis was also performed at the end of the experiment. The results showed statistically significant differences between the treatments in most of the phenolic analysis, allowing us to establish a difference between the control wine and the wines aged in contact with the different wood chips species. In particular, acacia wood chips seemed to influence greatly the phenolic aspects of the white wine used in a short aging period. Generally, the wine aged with cherry chips presented intermediate values between acacia sample and the standard wine. Concerning the sensory analysis, there was a slight preference for the wine aged in contact with acacia wood chips, suggesting its suitability for aging for this kind of wine, as well as for cherry wood that has shown good aptitude