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 passed through a fritted plate placed at its bottom was measured and used to evaluate the foam characteristics of base wines and sparkling wines. The height was detected with an ultrasonic wave transmitter/receiver, using original equipment and software. The relationship between the foam characteristics of these wines and their content in neutral and acid polysaccharides, free amino-acids, peptides and protein nitrogen was studied. It was seen that there are significant differences in foam parameters according to grape variety and aging time. It was also seen that the height reached by the foam shows a positive correlation with most of the free amino-acids, with the polysaccharides and with the protein nitrogen. No relationship was found between foam characteristics and concentrations of wine peptides. Predictive models were obtained for the parameters defining foam, based on content in neutral polysaccharides, protein nitrogen and the free amino-acid phenylalanine. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.