University of Queensland investigates aroma recovery in dealcoholized white wine
Researchers are identifying aroma compounds lost or altered during dealcoholization and testing yeast and fermentation methods that could restore a more recognizably wine-like character to no- and low-alcohol white wines.
University of Queensland researchers said on Thursday, November 12, that they are working to identify which aroma compounds disappear when white wine is dealcoholized. Their aim is to help no- and low-alcohol wines, commonly described as NOLO, smell and taste more like conventional wine.1
The project examines the sensory divide between NOLO and standard wines. The team considers aroma a major contributor to that difference and an important influence on whether consumers find a product appealing and recognize it as wine-like.1
Tracking changes in aroma
Huanhuan Li, a PhD candidate at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, said that reducing alcohol substantially changes a wine’s sensory profile. Researchers suspect that dealcoholization removes or modifies some volatile aroma compounds, so they are combining chemical analysis with sensory evaluation to determine what changes.1
The consumer panel consisted of regular white-wine drinkers because the study required participants familiar with the expected aroma of a typical white wine. They assessed whether adding compounds identified by chemical analysis made NOLO wines seem more wine-like and whether it improved perceived fruitiness and overall acceptance.1
The researchers call this wine-like character “vinosity”: the degree to which the aroma of a no- or low-alcohol product resembles conventional wine. It is central to the study because producers must address not only alcohol removal but also the preservation of the sensory identity drinkers expect.1
From consumer testing to fermentation
The consumer panel connects the laboratory analysis with possible production techniques. Chemical tests first identify diminished or missing aroma compounds; consumers then indicate whether restoring them changes their perception of the wine. The project subsequently examines fermentation strategies that could rebuild those aromas naturally.1
Instead of depending solely on the addition of flavor compounds to finished wine, Li is investigating whether selected non-Saccharomyces yeasts can create desirable aromas while generating less ethanol. The team is also assessing controlled secondary fermentation as a natural means of restoring flavor in NOLO wines.1
Aroma preservation is a significant technical obstacle in alcohol-reduced wine. Better retention or recovery of the aromas and flavors associated with wine could increase consumer acceptance and strengthen this growing beverage segment alongside traditional wine. The work also has relevance for winemakers, brewers and spirits producers seeking lower-alcohol products that retain the sensory qualities of their standard counterparts.1
Demand and project support
Professor Heather Smyth, the project leader, said interest in no- and low-alcohol wines has grown rapidly in recent years. She associated the increase with health and wellness trends and with consumers’ wish to moderate alcohol consumption while retaining the flavors and aromas of traditional wine.1
Wine Australia funds the project, which involves the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology. The research is conducted through the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, a University of Queensland institute established with and supported by the Department of Primary Industries.1
Sources
Written by the Dionysus editors from the sources above.
