Dynamics of the Fermentation Process and Chemical Profiling of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Wines Obtained by Different Cultivar×Yeast Combinations

Abstract

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is one of the historical tree crops in the Mediterranean region and is nowadays commercialized for its beneficial properties in the form of fruits, juice, jams and, in some East countries, as fermented juice (pomegranate wine). However, pomegranate wines are not established as a common beverage in Western countries. In this work, we produced pomegranate wines using two cultivars and two yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain Clos and S. cerevisiae ex-bayanus strain EC1118) with contrasting characteristics. A comprehensive chemical profile of the wines was obtained. Notable differences were observed in the function of the cultivars and the yeasts. Different cultivar×yeast combinations provided wines with clearly different chemical profiles and specific features in the patterns of organic acids, phenolics, and volatile compounds. This highlights the opportunity to obtain tailored pomegranate wines with desired chemical profiles and, consequently, sensory properties, through management optimization of pomegranate winemaking. In this view, pomegranate wines have the potential to become an established beverage in Western countries.

Metabolomic NMR analysis and organoleptic perceptions of pomegranate wines: Influence of cultivar and yeast on the product characteristics

“…The results of the sensorial analysis were also studied in relation to the previously published data concerning the volatile compounds [ 33 ]. One-hundred positive correlations and 132 negative correlations were obtained (further details concerning the specific compounds are reported in Table S10 ).…”

“…Pomegranate juice was obtained from freshly pressed fruits of the commercially available Smith and Jolly Red cultivars collected in fields belonging to the company ICS s.r.l., as previously described [ 33 ]. Two juice samples, one for each cultivar, were stored for further NMR analysis.…”

“…Two juice samples, one for each cultivar, were stored for further NMR analysis. Afterwards, pomegranate wine was prepared by fermenting the fruits with the commercial yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae (strain Clos) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae ex- bayanus (strain EC1118) (both Lallemand Inc., Montreal, QC, Canada), according to the previously reported procedure [ 33 ]. A total of 12 wines were produced separately by fermenting each of the 2 cultivars with each of the 2 yeasts, in 3 replications of winemaking.…”

“…Variables were tested for normal distribution using the Shapiro-Wilk test, and the significant effects of the factors “cultivar”, “yeast”, “cultivar × yeast”, “replication” and “tester” were assessed by ANOVA, with the software SPSS v. 20 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, US). SPSS was also used to calculate Spearman correlations between the organoleptic descriptors evaluated in this work and the volatile compounds, as obtained in a previous report for the same wine samples [ 33 ].…”

Cultivar-Dependent Effects of Non-Saccharomyces Yeast Starter on the Oenological Properties of Wines Produced from Two Autochthonous Grape Cultivars in Southern Italy

“…Volatile compounds were extracted by solid-phase microextraction (SPME), according to Cardinale et al [ 20 ] with some modifications. Samples were weighed (1 ± 0.05 g) into 20 mL vials containing 0.2 g/mL of NaCl (to increase ionic strength) and sealed with a silicone/PTFE septum and an aluminum cap.…”