The stability of major and trace element concentrations from musts to Champagne during the production process

Abstract

Thirty-nine Champagnes from six different brands originating from the AOC Champagne area were analyzed for major and trace element concentrations in the context of their production processes and in relation to their geographical origins. Inorganic analyses were performed on the must (i.e., grape juice) originating from different AOC areas and the final Champagne. The observed elemental concentrations displayed a very narrow range of variability. Typical concentrations observed in Champagne are expressed in mg/L for elements such as K, Ca, Mg, Na, B, Fe, A, and Mn. They are expressed in µg/L for trace elements such as Sr, Rb, Ba, Cu, Ni, Pb Cr and Li in decreasing order of concentrations. This overall homogeneity was observed for Sr and Rb in particular, which showed a very narrow range of concentrations (150 < Rb < 300 µg/L and 150 < Sr < 350 µg/L) in Champagne. The musts contained similar levels of concentration but showed slightly higher variability since they are directly influenced by the bedrock, which is quite homogenous in the AOC area being studied. Besides the homogeneity of the bedrock, the overall stability of the concentrations recorded in the samples can also be directly linked to the successive blending steps, both at the must level and prior to the final bottling. A detailed analysis of the main additives, sugar, yeast and bentonite, during the Champagne production process, did not show a major impact on the elemental signature of Champagne.