The impact of alimentary films and C. zemplenina oak chip biofilm on the reduction of cork taint and improvement of wine aroma profile

Sometimes, the quality of wine can be compromised by abnormal musty odours and flavours defined as corky taste. Maria Reyes Gonzalez-Centeno from the ISVV – Institut des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin in Bordeaux – presented her work entitled “Alimentary film to reduce cork taint and improve wine organoleptic quality”. As still today, wine quality may be compromised by mouldy off‒flavours related to cork taint, her focus was on assessing the efficacy of an alimentary plastic film for reducing it, as well as examining the potential impact on the colour, phenolic, aromatic and sensory attributes of wine of the film. Does the film reduce the initial TCA content of the treated wines? How does the contact of different duration impact on the wine characteristics overall?

Next, Giorgia Pepetuini of the University of Teramo – Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment – presented her study concerning Candida zemplinina (synonym Starmerella bacillaris). Candida zemplinina is frequently isolated in grape must in different vitivinicultural ares and strains of it in combination with S. cerevisiae have been proven to have enological significance, as wines made from this mixed starter are characterized by higher amounts of glycerol and esters.

This investigation focuses on discovering the ability of C. zemplenina to adhere on oak chips and stainless-steel surfaces and analyze the impact of oak surface-associated C. zemplenina cells on fermentation kinetics and volatile profile of wine. Giorgia demonstrates how the biofilm formatted by C. zemplinina can contribute to wine aroma profile in her work entitled “Effect of Candida zemplinina oak chips biofilm on wine aroma profile”.

Video of the entries submitted to the Enoforum Web Contest 2021 during the Enoforum Web Conference (23-25 February 2021)