Cryogenic pre-treatment technologies: Impact on varietal aroma and sensory profiles of South African Sauvignon blanc and Chenin blanc wine

Sauvignon blanc wine has a distinctive aroma attributed to key aroma compounds, specifically methoxypyrazines, which contribute to the “greener” aromas, and varietal thiols, related to “tropical” and passion fruit aromas. These compounds are present in the grape skin and pulp and are released by yeast enzymatic activity during the alcoholic fermentation process. Viticultural practices and vinification techniques have been explored to enhance such varietal aroma compounds, specifically the varietal thiols. Furthermore, low-temperature cryogenic processing of grapes have been explored and shows promise. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the impact of cryogenic pretreatment technologies on the levels of varietal thiols, methoxypyrazine, and the effect on the sensory profiles of South African (SA) Sauvignon blanc and Chenin blanc wines.