Analysis of the influence of the type of closure in the organoleptic characteristics of a red wine by using an electronic panel

An electronic panel formed by an electronic nose, an electronic tongue and an electronic eye has been successfully used to evaluate the organoleptic characteristics of red wines vinified using different extraction techniques and micro-oxygenation methods and bottled using closures of different oxygen transmission rates (OTR). The three systems have demonstrated a good capability of discrimination by means of Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) has permitted to establish prediction models based on the type of closure, the polyphenol content or the effect of micro-oxygenation. The best correlations found using the e-eye and the e-nose are related to the OTR of the closure. In contrast, the electronic tongue is more sensitive to the polyphenol content. The discrimination and prediction capabilities of the system are significantly improved when signals from each module are combined. The electronic panel can be a useful tool for the characterisation and control of oxygen and antioxidant capability of red wines. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.