Wine finish in red wine: The effect of ethanol and tannin concentration

- Ethanol increases finish intensity and duration of coconut and floral flavors in red wine.
- Tannin content does not affect the perception of coconut, floral, or bell pepper finish.
- Floral and coconut notes interact, diminishing the intensity and duration of coconut finish.

Wine finish, the tastes and aromas that linger after swallowing wine, is a critical aspect of wine quality. The objective of this study was to use time-intensity (TI) methodology to determine whether the finish parameters of different flavors varied as a function of wine matrix composition. Trained panelists (n = 10) executed TI evaluations on three flavor compounds (2-phenylethanol (floral), 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (bell pepper), and oak lactone (coconut)), heat, and astringency in wine adjusted to varying ethanol and tannin levels. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated that elevated ethanol increased duration and intensity of the finish for floral and coconut samples (p < 0.05). For floral and bell pepper, no significant differences were shown using canonical variates analysis (CVA); however, for coconut, the high ethanol samples were more associated with a higher finish intensity and longer duration of finish. Flavor interactions also affected finish duration, with coconut (oak lactone) finish duration shortened by 10.35 s in the presence of 2-phenylethanol. These results showed that the wine matrix affects red wine finish and can be used by winemakers to understand how different processing techniques that alter the ethanol and tannin content of their wines, may also be affecting the sensory qualities of the wine finish.