This work evaluated the potential of the Merlot grape produced in Campanha Gaúcha region for the production of sparkling wines. The base wines were made through direct pressing (T1) and cold pre-fermentative maceration (CPM) with 6 (T2), 24 (T3) and 48 (T4) hours of duration. Afterwards, the second fermentation of treatments was conducted by the Champenoise method. The results obtained in the physicochemical analysis demonstrate the potential of elaborating sparkling wines with higher alcohol content from this cultivar in the region. In the sensory analysis, all sparkling wines received excellent scores for overall quality and the best results, in general, were observed in the sparkling wine made with 24 hours of CPM (T3). From the results obtained, we can suggest the Merlot grape as an alternative for the production of sparkling wines in the region, requiring more in-depth studies on maturation time and typology of the product to be prepared.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.