Influence of the polysaccharides and the nitrogen compounds on foaming properties of sparkling wines

The increase in the height of the wine contained in a tube, when air is pas sed through a fritted plate placed at its bottom was measured and used to e valuate the foam characteristics of base wines and sparkling wines. The hei ght was detected with an ultrasonic wave transmitter/receiver, using origin al equipment and software. The relationship between the foam characteristic s of these wines and their content in neutral and acid polysaccharides, fre e amino-acids, peptides and protein nitrogen was studied. It was seen that there are significant differences in foam parameters according to grape var iety and aging time. It was also seen that the height reached by the foam s hows a positive correlation with most of the free amino-acids, with the pol ysaccharides and with the protein nitrogen. No relationship was found betwe en foam characteristics and concentrations of wine peptides. Predictive mod els were obtained for the parameters defining foam, based on content in neu tral polysaccharides, protein nitrogen and the free amino-acid phenylalanin e. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.