The effect of sucrose addition at dosage stage on the foam attributes of a bottle-fermented English Sparkling Wine

BACKGROUND: Approximately two-thirds of wine produced in the UK is bottle-fermented sparkling wine. Effervescence and foamability are key features used to assess English sparkling wine (ESW) quality. A critical, yet understudied, area of research is the potential for dosage to influence foam behaviour via associated changes in wine viscosity. RESULTS: In this study, dosage treatments of five increasing levels of sucrose (from 0 to 31 g L−1) were added to an ESW. After storage, the foamability attributes of the wines were analysed via an adapted Mosalux method and a novel image analysis method combined with free pour of the wine. Results indicate that increasing sucrose concentration improved foam formation, but reduced foam stability, likely due to the sucrose added causing a modification in wine viscosity. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the impact that dosage treatments can have on the quality of foam produced upon pouring, and therefore have the potential to inform future sparkling winemaking practices. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry