Characterization of red wines with designation of Origin Alentejo and Geographical Indication Alentejano

Abstract

The aim of this work was to characterize red wines submitted to the certification process done by the Alentejo Regional Wine Commission (CVRA) over several years. The results of the sensory evaluation and seven physical-chemical parameters of samples associated with the process of certification of red wines performed by CVRA, concerning the harvest years of 2010 to 2016, were studied. The parameters for red wines D.O.C. Alentejo (n = 1131), Regional Wine Alentejo (n = 5835) and D.O.C Alentejo – Talha Wine (n = 36) were compared, using statistical methods of exploratory analysis, as regards the overall sensory score (medians 68,80/67,91/66,48), total acidity (medians 5.4/5.4/5.2 g/L tartaric acid), volatile acidity (medians 0,66/0,65/0,71 g/L acetic acid), pH (medians 3,64/3,67/3,70), total sugars (medians 0.6/0.6/0.4 g/L G + F), density (medians 0,9938/ 0,9940/0,9938), total sulphur dioxide (medians 71/70/69 mg/L SO2) and acquired alcoholic strength (medians 14.1/13,9/13,6% vol.). The evolution of these parameters was also studied over the years of harvesting. It was observed that D.O.C. Alentejo and Regional Alentejo wines display very similar median values of the various parameters, and that many of these variables have similar trends of evolution, in successive years of harvesting. As for the D.O.C. Alentejo – Talha Wine, still in comparatively smaller production, exhibit a differentiated pattern from the other two types, more irregular, which is consistent with their traditional production mode.