Cold-driven strategies as pre-fermentative techniques on winemaking: A review

As a pre-fermentative practice, cold may facilitate the extraction of grape compounds, resulting in differentiated wines. To explore the potential of these practices, extensive research has been conducted on scientific publications since 2004. There are four main ways to apply cold in pre-fermentative practices: ice wine production, berry freezing, cold maceration of grape must, and cryoconcentration of grape must. Scientific studies investigating these techniques report that certain compounds, especially phenolic compounds, can be elevated in the must, resulting in wines with increased levels of compounds crucial for wine quality. However, the outcomes reported in the literature are often controversial. Various factors influence the results of these practices, such as the mechanical properties of the grape skins, the duration of the processes, and the temperature conditions. Despite these variations, the potential benefits of cold application in winemaking continue to be a significant area of interest for producing high-quality, distinctive wines.