Ancestral sparkling wines; Comparison with traditional sparkling wines and procedures to improve their quality

Identifier:  TDX:4455

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX4455

Authors:  Just Borràs, Arnau

Abstract:
The ancestral method is a technique to produce sparkling wines. Its origin seems to be associated with benedictine monks that discovered this procedure at the XVI century. Unfortunately, ancestral method was progressively abandoned in benefit of traditional method due to the difficulties in its control. However, ancestral method is nowadays more and more used for sparkling wine producers because wine industry seeks to offer new and original products to satisfy consumers’ demand. Ancestral method is based on a single fermentation instead of two fermentations. Furthermore, ancestral method has some advantages such as the possibility to work with riper grapes since no sugar is added for a second fermentation or the opportunity to work with lower levels of sulphur dioxide. Nevertheless, the ancestral method has some critical points that when are not well controlled can result into faulty wines. An assessment of commercial ancestral sparkling wines was set to determine the main characteristics that define these products. Results showed a greater heterogeneity in ancestral than in traditional sparkling wines. It was also found that some faults such as high turbidity, scarce sparklingness and odd aromas were sometimes present on the ancestral commercial wines.