Comparative study of the amine concentration in wines obtained from the traditional fermentation and from a more anaerobic fermentation method

Content of amines in wine is very variable. Its concentration depends on numerous factors such as raw materials, winemaking conditions, amino acid concentration in must… all these factors are usually interrelated and consequently it is difficult to know the individual action of each one of them. The new vinification method called Ganimede uses a deposit, which utilizes carbonic gas to achieve a more effective maceration of the skins; the conditions inside of the Ganimede tanks are more reductive than inside the conventional tanks. In this study a comparison was made of the amine concentration of wines from Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon musts using the traditional winemaking method (control method) and the Ganimede vinification method. From the results obtained it may be concluded that the Ganimede method produced a greater total concentration of biogenic amines than the conventional method. In general, the concentration of biogenic amines, such as histamine and tyramine, in all three varieties was higher in the wine made by the Ganimede method than in the wine made by the traditional method. These same results were also observed for the volatile amines whose total concentration was also higher in the wine obtained by the Ganimede method than in the control wine.