Organic mulches slightly influence the wine phenolic profile and sensory evaluation

• Published in: Food chemistry 2024-11, Vol.457, p.140045, Article 140045
• Main Authors: Mairata, Andreu, Pou, Alicia, Martínez, Juana, Puelles, Miguel, Labarga, David, Portu, Javier
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Circular economy; Female; Flavonoid; Grapevine; Humans; Male; Mulching; Organic Agriculture; Phenols - analysis; Polyphenol; Taste; Vitis - chemistry; Wine - analysis
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.140045

Organic mulching offers numerous agronomical benefits, but its impact on wine quality remains unclear. This study assessed the effect of this practice on wine physicochemical, phenolic composition and sensory properties. Over four years, three organic mulches (grape pruning debris (GPD), straw (STR), and spent mushroom compost (SMC)) and two conventional practices (tillage (TILL) and herbicide (HERB)) were evaluated in two locations. Wines from mulching treatments exhibited higher pH, potassium, hue, and lower tartaric acid. Moreover, the SMC mulch treatment showed lower amounts of wine anthocyanins, flavonols and hydroxycinnamics, probably due to increased nutrient availability. However, no differences were detected in the wine sensory analysis. Therefore, organic mulches could be alternative practices to mitigate the consequences of climate change without significant impact on young wine's phenolic profile and sensory properties compared to HERB and TILL conventional soil management. However, future studies should focus on wine evolution during aging. •SMC organic mulch enhanced wine potassium, pH, hue and reduced acidity and TPI.•Phenolic content slightly differed depending on soil management practices.•In one field, SMC mulch reduced the amounts of anthocyanins and flavonols.•Soil management did not affect the sensory perception of wines in both fields.•STR and GPD: climate change mitigation with no impact on wine quality.