The effect of nitrogen addition on the fermentative performance during sparkling wine production

10.1016/j.foodres.2014.10.033The transformation of must to wine is influenced by several factors, including the nitrogen composition of the grape must, which has an important impact on yeast growth, fermentation kinetics and the organoleptic properties of the final product. In the production of sparkling wine by the traditional method, a second fermentation takes place inside the bottle, followed by yeast autolysis. Before their inoculation, yeasts cells must be adapted to the wine by the process known as pied-de-cuve. The aim of this study is to determine how nitrogen composition both in the pied-de-cuve and the base wine, affects the development of the second fermentation. This effect was analyzed in three different strains and at two different fermentation temperatures (12 and 16. °C). The results indicate that the nitrogen intake during the pied-de-cuve is crucial for the development of the second fermentation, with strain-dependent nutrient preferences during this phase. The addition of organic nitrogen in this phase can enhance the second fermentation. However, the addition of nitrogen to the base wine, had little effect on fermentation kinetics, indicating that either the residual nitrogen of the wines (<. 30. mg. N/l), or the nitrogen taken up during the pied-de-cuve, was sufficient to cover the low nitrogen requirements during the second fermentation, and to ensure the good development of this process. The base wine and the temperature had also strong effects on the fermentation length and development. To optimize sparkling wine production, all factors involved in the second fermentation should be considered, although the interactions between base wine, temperature and yeast strain have the strongest effect on fermentation kinetics