Exploring the Impact of Pitch-Coated Pottery on Wine Composition: Metabolomics Characterization of an Ancient Technique

TL;DR

This study explores how using pitch-coated pottery in winemaking affects wine composition, revealing significant chemical differences compared to traditional methods.

Contribution

The study is the first to characterize the impact of pine pitch coatings on wine composition using a foodomics approach.

Findings

Pitch-coated vessels increased concentrations of polyphenols like anthocyanins and tartaric acid.

Procyanidins were significantly lower in wines from pitch-coated vessels.

The findings show that fermentation environments can shape wine metabolite profiles.

Abstract

In recent years, wine producers have increasingly experimented with ancient fermentation and ageing techniques, such as the use of ceramic containers or pitch-coated amphorae. Despite growing interest in these traditional practices, few studies have investigated the chemical composition of the resulting wines. This is the first study that characterises pine pitch, historically used as a coating material, and evaluates the impact of pitched pottery vessels on the winemaking process and wine composition using a foodomics approach. Vinification was carried out in both pitch-coated and uncoated (control) clay containers. Chemical differences between must and wine produced in pitched and unpitched vessels were assessed using targeted and untargeted ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Compared to the control, must and wine from the pitch-coated vessels had higher concentrations of many polyphenols such as anthocyanins, coumaric acid and tartaric acid, while procyanidins were present in significantly lower amounts. These findings reveal that pitch-coated ceramic vessels significantly influence wine composition, offering a first step toward deeper investigations into how fermentation environments shape metabolite profiles. This knowledge not only enhances our understanding of traditional practices but also opens new avenues for innovation in contemporary oenology.

Figures