Effect of the Use of Purified Grape Pomace as a Fining Agent on the Volatile Composition of Monastrell Wines

Abstract

(1) Background: The lack of viable alternatives for the industrial exploitation of grape pomace is one of the reasons why it is considered a serious environmental pollutant. However, as a byproduct, it could be used as a fining agent, since previous studies have shown that it is able to eliminate undesirable substances in wine. However, the little information available does not describe its effect on wine aroma. (2) Methods: Purified grape pomace extracts were used for fining a red wine and their effect on the volatile compounds of the wine was assessed, comparing the results with those obtained with different commercial fining agents. (3) Results: The results showed how purified grape pomace decreased the total volatile content of a wine to a similar extent as other fining products, such as yeast extracts or gelatin. Among the different families of volatile compounds analyzed, only total esters and terpenes differed from the levels recorded for a control wine, being slightly lower. No statistical differences were found for the rest of the volatile compounds (alcohols, carbonyl, lactones, and acids) compared with the levels measured in control wine. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest that purified grape pomace could be used as a non-allergenic wine fining agent.