Comparação de leveduras livres e encapsuladas na elaboração de vinhos espumantes

Abstract

As a consequence of the increased consumption of sparkling wines, alternatives have been sought that make it easier the winemaking while maintaining or improving quality. Among the options are encapsulated yeast, covered by a calcium alginate gel capsule, which allows the elimination of the rèmuage process, reducing production time. The objective of this study was to evaluate sparkling wines made using the traditional Champenoise method, using free and encapsulated yeast. Base wine made with Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir grapes was used. Four treatments were defined, being T1 (free yeast with dègorgement after 3 months), T2 (free yeast with dègorgement after 6 months), T3 (encapsulated yeast with dègorgement after 3 months) and T4 (encapsulated yeast with dègorgement after 6 months). Physicochemical analyzes were carried out after 6 months, and sensory evaluations were carried out after dègorgement at 3 and 6 months. The results obtained showed that the sparkling wines analyzed after the months of maturation did not present significant differences in relation to the sensorial issue. In terms of physical-chemical parameters, treatments T3 and T4, using encapsulated yeast, did not achieve total sugar consumption, drawing attention to the high levels, of 7.20 and 9.26 gL-1 respectively, highlighting that the four treatments received the same dose of sugar in the tirage liquor. Furthermore, the alcohol content was lower for treatments T1 and T2, with free yeast, in relation to treatments T3 and T4. It is important to highlight that the calcium alginate gel capsule remained stable during the three and six months in contact with wine, maintaining its clarity. Thus, it can be concluded that encapsulated yeasts facilitate the process of producing sparkling wines without compromising their physical-chemical and sensory characteristics.