Anita OberholsterExtension Specialist in Enology

Pinot noir: Winemaking Techniques with a Focus on Cap Management

Main Phenols in Wine • Skins – Anthocyanins responsible for red color– Flavonols – best copigments

• Skins and seeds– Flavan-3-ols (ex. catechin, epicatechin)• Oligomers and polymers of flavan-3-ols =

proanthocyanidins (PA) and polymeric phenols/tannin

• Wine– All the above + polymerization products

Phenol Composition

Compounds Pinot noir Merlot Cab franc

Anthocyanins 166-219 338-455 337-469

Flavonols 76-91 110-113 121-157

Tot Phenols 913-965 907-921 1095-1193

mg/L after fermentation

Mazza et al., (1999) J. Agric. Food Chem. 47 (10): 4009-4017

Phenol Extraction

Extraction of malv-3-gluc during fermentation (Pinot noir)

Cortell et al., (2007) J. Agric. Food Chem. 55: 6585-6595.

Busse-Valverde et al., (2010) J. Agric. Food Chem. (58) 21: 11333-11339.Puertas, et al., (2008) Food Sci. Tech. Int. 14 (Suppl. 5): 21-27.Sacchi, et al., (2006) Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 56 (3): 197-206.Vásquez et al., (2010) Eur. Food Res. Technol> 231:789-802.

Influence of Winemaking Practices on Phenolic Composition and Color

• Cold soak/maceration• Must at 10 – 15°C for several days

before fermentation – no or neg. effect on color

• Seed tannin (Busse-Valverde et al., 2010)

• Must/grape freezing• Saignée (prefermentation juice runoff)

Marais, et al. (2003)S. Afr. J. Enol. Vitc. 24:70-75.Sacchi, et al., (2006) Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 56 (3): 197-206.

Influence of Winemaking Practices on Phenolic Composition of Wine

• Carbonic maceration• Thermovinification (best effect Pinot noir)

• Increase anth and skin tannin extraction• Loss of varietal character• New Technology: Flash-Détente

• Fermentation temperature• Opt temp ±30C (86F) (Pinot noir, Pinotage)

Baurtista-Ortín et al., (2005) Int. J. Food Sci. Technol. 40: 867-878.Keulder et al., (2006)Sacchi et al., (2006) Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 56 (3): 197-206. Vásquez et al., (2010) Eur. Food Res. Technol. 231:789-802.

Influence of Winemaking Practices on Phenolic Composition and Color

• Processing enzymes• Colour intensity or no effect• Mainly increase extraction of tannins and

other phenols, including anthocyanins

Gomez-Plaza et al., (2001) Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 52: 266-270.Marias et al., (2003) S. Afr. J. Enol. Vitic. 24:76-79Sacchi, et al., (2006) Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 56 (3): 197-206.

Influence of winemaking practices on phenolic composition of wine cont…• Why cap management ?• Keep cap moist for yeast activity• Reduce temp gradient between cap and

liquid for yeast activity• Increase skin contact for phenol extraction

etc.

Gomez-Plaza et al., (2001) Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 52: 266-270.Marias et al., (2003) S. Afr. J. Enol. Vitic. 24:76-79Sacchi, et al., (2006) Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 56 (3): 197-206.

Influence of winemaking practices on phenolic composition of wine cont…• Cap management techniques• Punch-down, pump-over (various

irrigators), rotor, delestage, submerged cap, timed gas-pressure release, pneumatage

• Studies compared punch-down, pump-over, rotor and delestage• Variable effect with cultivar• Rotor mechanical punch down pump over

manual punch down (order of phenol extraction)

Influence of winemaking practices on phenolic composition of wine cont…• What cap management technique to

use depends on• Cultivar• Personal experience• Amount of manipulation and oxygen

exposure - desirable for wine style• Usually less oxygen exposure for Pinot noir

compared to varieties such as Cab. Sauv. and Merlot

Baurtista-Ortín et al., (2005) Int. J. Food Sci. Technol. 40: 867-878.Gomez-Plaza et al., (2001) Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 52: 266-270.Puertas, et al., (2008 Food Sci. Tech. Int. 14 (Suppl. 5): 21-27.Yokotsuka et al., (2000) J. Wine Res. 11: 7-18.

Influence of winemaking practices on phenolic composition of wine cont…• Extended maceration time • Increase in tannin, not anthocyanins• Total phenols increase up to 36 days• Anthocyanins reach maximum within 3 – 5

days, although some studies have increases up to 10 days

• Pomace contact of 4 – 16 days were prefered by judges (this test was done on Merlot)

Cano-López et al., (2010) Food Chem. 119:191-195.Cejudp-Bastante et al., (2011) Food Chem. 124:727-737.Baurtista-Ortín et al., (2005) Int. J. Food Sci. Technol. 40: 867-878.Durner et al., Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 61 (4): 474-485 .Keulder et al., (2006).Parker et al., (2007) Austr. J. Grape Wine Res. 30 (1):30-37.

Influence of winemaking practices on phenolic composition of wine cont…• Commercial tannins• Little or no effect that disappear with

bottle aging (Keulder et al., 2006; Parker et al., 2007; Baurtista-Ortín et al., 2005)

• Microoxygentation (MOX)• Color density (Cano-López et al., 2010; Cejuda-

Bastante et al., 2011; Geldenhuys et al., 2009)

• Before MLF found pos. for Pinot noir (Durner et al., 2010)

• Effect depended on flav/anth ratio

• Strong correlation between colour and quality, thus max anth content important

• Unfortunately no guaranteed protocol, depends on phenol composition

• Ratio of tannin to anth important for colour development/stability

Concluding remarks

• General for Pinot noir

Pectolytic enzymes

Thermovinification

Thorough mixing of cap with must

Microoxygenation

Concluding remarks

Contact details

• Anita Oberholster– RMI North, room 3146– aoberholster@ucdavis.edu– Tel: (530) 754-4866– Mobile: (530) 400-0137– http://wineserver.ucdavis.edu– http://www.facebook.com/aoberholster