About this Research Topic
‘Wine ageing’ is the process of bringing a wine from its rough post-fermentation state to the aroma and mouthfeel complex characteristics that are associated with sensorial image of wines. In the case of icon wines, this process can be seen as an equivalent to diamond cutting in jewelry, where a raw stone is cut and polished to create a unique piece. During the ageing of a wine, which can take months or even years depending on wine type, an extremely large array of chemical and biochemical reactions take place. Among these, hydrolytic transformations catalyzed by wine acidic pH, nucleophilic additions promoted by oxygen, Maillard reaction, and redox driven phenomena are thought to play a central role. Besides improving overall wine perceived sensory quality, the response of a wine to ageing variables (e.g. time, oxygen exposure, storage in wood casks and/or in contact with yeast lees) is thought to be unique and specific, representing one central aspect of the expression of wine sensory identity. While investigations on wine ageing have been reported in the scientific literature since the 18th century, many of the key factors responsible for such unique behavior remain to be clarified. Recent advances, associated with the application of either untargeted (‘omic’) analytical methodologies or advanced targeted analyses (in particular GC-MS and GC-O), are shedding new light on the complexity of the mechanisms implicated in wine ageing, challenging in many cases previously established theories and paving the way for novel hypotheses.
This Research Topic welcomes contributions aimed at advancing current knowledge on the following areas:
- Novel insights in the changes occurring to wine aroma and phenolic fractions during ageing
- Reactions between wine constituents under reductive or oxidative conditions
- Role of metal catalysts in wine ageing
- Contribution of vineyard and winemaking practices to wine ageing
In particular, we encourage submission of articles combining target and non-target (‘omic’) approaches.
This Research Topic welcomes contributions aimed at advancing current knowledge on the following areas:
- Novel insights in the changes occurring to wine aroma and phenolic fractions during ageing
- Reactions between wine constituents under reductive or oxidative conditions
- Role of metal catalysts in wine ageing
- Contribution of vineyard and winemaking practices to wine ageing
In particular, we encourage submission of articles combining target and non-target (‘omic’) approaches.
Keywords: Wine Ageing, Oxidation Chemistry, Interactions, Mechanisms, Analysis
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
