Abstract

CANAS, S. et al. Evaluation of wine brandies authenticity by the relationships between benzoic and cinnamic aldehydes and between furanic aldehydes. Ciência Téc. Vitiv. [online]. 2004, vol.19, n.1, pp.13-27. ISSN 0254-0223.

Nowadays we are looking at the use of infinity of commercial products (namely vanillin, tannins and caramel) that are added to wines and brandies intending especially the shorting of their ageing in wooden barrels or even its imitation, mainly due to economic reasons. It is also searched the supposed improvement or alteration of wines and brandies sensorial properties in order to support the consumers preference. In this point of view, the assessment of aged wines and brandies authenticity becomes indispensable, being also evident the search of simple and secure indicators to evaluate the type of wood used in the ageing process. Many authors have used furanic derivatives contents and or wood phenolic compounds ratios as indicators of the authenticity of brandies and other alcoholic beverages. However, some studies stated that the extraction of these wood compounds depends on several factors. On the other hand, incorrect experimental designs and or the absence of factors interaction analysis frequently contribute to have not credible results. In the present work is analyzed the potential interest of the relationships between phenolic aldehydes and between furanic derivatives to assess the brandies authenticity, examining the influence of the botanical species (seven oaks and one chestnut), the toasting level (light, medium and strong) and the ageing time (during the first four years) in a Lourinhã brandy analyzed by HPLC. The benzoic/cinnamic aldehydes ratio appeared suitable to evaluate if the wood used in the ageing of brandy was chestnut or oak. Conversely, the furanic derivatives contents and their ratios cannot be used as wood ageing markers, since they are dependent on the interaction between the botanical species and the toasting level.

Keywords : brandy; woods; ageing; authenticity; phenolic aldehydes; furanic derivatives.

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