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Element concentrations in Chianti Classico appellation wines
Fabrizio Monaci1, Roberto Bargagli, Silvano Focardi
1Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali "G. Sarfatti", Università degli Studi di Siena, Siena, Italy. monaci@unisi.it
Summary
Elemental analysis of Chianti Classico wines reveals significant decreases in manganese, chromium, lead, and cadmium compared to earlier vintages. These findings highlight improved wine quality and hygiene standards, with specific elements aiding in origin protection.
Area of Science:
- Food Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Viticulture and Enology
Background:
- Elemental composition analysis is crucial for wine authentication and quality assessment.
- Previous studies have established baseline elemental profiles for Chianti Classico wines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the concentrations of 21 elements in Chianti Classico wines from the 1997 vintage.
- To compare elemental profiles with European red wines and previous Chianti Classico vintages.
- To identify key elements for distinguishing Chianti Classico and protecting its designation of origin.
Main Methods:
- Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) or similar techniques were likely used for elemental determination.
- Statistical analysis, including coefficient of variation (CV) and principal component analysis (PCA), was employed.
- Comparative analysis with historical data and other wine types (Chianti, Venetian Cabernet Sauvignon) was performed.
Main Results:
- Concentrations of most elements in 1997 Chianti Classico wines were within the range of European red wines.
- High variability (CV) was observed for copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and nickel (Ni), indicating potential exogenous contamination.
- Significant decreases in manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) were noted compared to 1987 vintage wines.
- Principal Component Analysis successfully differentiated Chianti Classico from other wines, with elements like Al, Mg, Ca, K, Sr, Mn, and Si showing distinctive patterns.
Conclusions:
- Observed decreases in certain elements are attributed to improved winemaking hygiene and reduced environmental contamination (e.g., leaded gasoline).
- Specific elemental profiles, identified through chemometrics, can serve as valuable markers for protecting the Chianti Classico designation of origin.
- Further research can refine these chemometric parameters for robust wine authentication.