Chemical and chromatic effects of saignée combined with extended maceration and microwaved stem addition on three Pinot Noir clones from the Central Coast of California

Abstract

Background and Aims: Pinot Noir grapes show variations within clones, and winemaking techniques aimed at increasing phenolic substances and colour may or may not affect them similarly. Methods and Results: Three Pinot Noir clones, 2A, 115 and 777, were vinified including a Control wine, a saignée treatment followed by extended maceration for 30 days (S + EM), and a stem addition treatment in which microwaved stems (52°C, 5 min) (MW stems) were added. Generally, wines of clones 777 and 2A were higher in phenolic substances than those of clone 115. Relative to Control wines, MW stems wines exhibited an eightfold, 19-fold and 13-fold increase in wine tannins for clones 2A, 115 and 777, respectively, which was attributed to the extraction of stem-derived tannins, whereas S + EM wines of clones 2A, 115 and 777 displayed a threefold, eightfold and sevenfold increase in the tannin concentration, respectively. Also relative to Control wines, the concentration of large polymeric pigments was more than doubled in MW stems and S + EM wines. Conclusions: The only clear effects across the three clones this study observed were for tannins and large polymeric pigments in MW stems and S + EM wines, and for small polymeric pigments in Control wines. Significance of the Study: Techniques such as saignée, extended maceration and addition of microwaved stems can be used to build chemical complexity by utilising the resulting wines as blending options, or to increase wine ageing potential and commercial lifespan by enhancing tannins and polymeric pigments.