Oak Aging and Ultrasound Treatment for Improving the Sensory Profile of Sauvignon Blanc Wines

Aging and maturation with oak contacts improves color stability and gives smoothness, roundness and flavor to wine. These wines are preferred by many consumers due to their complex sensory profile but it usually have a higher price, traditional maturation being expensive. The tendency of consumers to focus on innovative products with a complex, rich, interesting sensory profile, but at reduced prices. On this line, this paper focuses on reducing maturation period and costs using ultrasounds waves (35 kHz) and different French oak fragments (with varying degrees of roasting) to improve wines sensory profile. Considering that most studies focus on the influence of wood on the quality of red wines, white wines obtained from the Sauvignon blanc variety (from Iasi-Romania) are used in this study. The results highlight a significant impact on wine sensory profile in a shorter time. A woody and spicy note was better expressed when oak chips were used. Variables such as the shape of the oak fragment (granulated vs. chips), the used dosage (1 vs. 2 gL−1) and the contact time (15 min. With ultrasounds vs. 10 and 20 days in traditional maturation) have a major effect on the quality of the wines. The results contribute to the optimization of winemaking process.