Wine Volatilome as Affected by Tartaric Stabilization Treatments: Cold Stabilization, Carboxymethylcellulose and Metatartaric Acid

Abstract

The primary cause of bottled wine sediment is tartrate crystal precipitation. To prevent this, wines undergo a stabilization process before bottling. The most commonly used method is cold stabilization, which induces the precipitation of tartrate crystals that are then removed, thereby eliminating the excess ions that cause instability in wine. Another approach to tartaric stabilization is using enological stabilizers with a colloid protective effect, which prevents the formation of tartrate crystals. The most commonly used tartaric stabilizers are sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and metatartaric acid. However, both have drawbacks: they are semi-synthetic products, and metatartaric acid degrades over time, losing its stabilizing effect. This study aims to compare the effects of cold stabilization, stabilization with CMC, and metatartaric acid on the chemical composition, particularly the volatilome, of white, rosé, and red wines. Cold stabilization significantly impacted the wine volatilome, especially in white and rosé wines, by decreasing total alcohols and increasing total esters. It also reduced the color intensity of rosé and red wines by lowering monomeric anthocyanins. In contrast, enological stabilizers had minimal impact on the wines’ phenolic composition, chromatic characteristics, and volatilome. The sensory impact of cold stabilization is complex; it can potentially enhance the aroma of white and rosé wines by increasing ester VOCs and decreasing higher alcohols, but it negatively affects the color of rosé and red wines.