The use of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) and honeybush (Cyclopia spp.) as wood alternative in red winemaking

• Main Author: De Wet, Alet
• Other Authors: Du Toit, Wessel Johannes
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2015
• Subjects: Red winemaking; Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) > Wood alternative; Honeybush (Cyclopia spp.) > Wood alternative; UCTD
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/96644

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Wine knowledge has increased drastically in recent years with the aid of scientific experimentation. The producers of wine have increasingly incorporated new wine knowledge into the marketing and innovation of wine products. In parallel with the above, the consumer market has become more aware of winemaking practices and their influence on consumer health. The use of alternative methods and additives in wine are means by which producers have been able to create innovative wine products. This study focused on the addition of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) and honeybush (Cyclopia spp.) plant material to red wine. Consumer liking, as well as descriptive sensory analysis (DSA) of different red wines made from a range of cultivars with the addition of rooibos and honeybush plant material, was investigated. Another aim of the study was to observe the effect of oxygen addition to red wines treated with rooibos and honeybush plant material. The consumer studies included a number of events where wines treated with rooibos and honeybush material were compared with other commercial wines. The results could not clearly indicate whether consumers liked or disliked the wine products with added rooibos and honeybush plant material. Further refinement of wines with the addition of rooibos and honeybush can serve as topics for future research. Focus on the potential health benefits which can be added to wine from rooibos and honeybush plant material, as a result of inherent antioxidants within both these species, may serve as a novel research topic. The DSA panels identified aroma descriptors that could be related to the addition of wood and leaf or only rooibos and honeybush wood to wine. The addition of oxygen to wines treated with rooibos and honeybush plant material indicated that aromas associated with these treatments are relatively stable in wine undergoing oxidation. This could possibly pave the way for future research on the topic of low sulphur dioxide containing wines. As a result of this study, a commercial wine product called “Rooibos wine” was developed and became available in retail. Further research on this topic and the impact of the addition of rooibos and honeybush material to wine may be of great benefit for the production of innovative wines with unique aroma profiles. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kennis oor wyn het oor die afgelope paar jaar vooruitgegaan met behulp van wetenskaplike eksperimentering. Wynprodusente sluit toenemend nuwe wynkennis in die bemarking en innovering van wynprodukte in. Parallel hiermee het die verbruikersmark baie meer bewus geword van wynbereidingspraktyke en die invloed daarvan op verbruikersgesondheid. Die gebruik van alternatiewe metodes en byvoegings in wyn is maniere waarop produsente innoverende wynprodukte kan skep. Hierdie studie het gefokus op die byvoeging van rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) en heuningbos (Cyclopia spp.) plantmateriaal by rooiwyn. Verbruikers se voorkeur, sowel as die beskrywende sensoriese analise (descriptive sensory analysis [DSA]) van diverse rooi wyn kultivars waarby rooibos en heuningbos plantmateriaal gevoeg is, is geanaliseer. Nóg ’n doelwit van die studie was om die effek van suurstofbyvoeging by rooiwyne wat met rooibos en heuningbos plantmateriaal behandel is waar te neem. Vir die verbruikerstudies is geleenthede aangebied waar wyne wat met rooibos en heuningbos materiaal behandel is met kommersiële wyne vergelyk is. Die resultate kon nie duidelik aandui of die verbruikers gehou het of nie van wynprodukte wat met rooibos en heuningbos behandel is. Verdere verfyning van wyne met bygevoegde rooibos en heuningbos kan as onderwerpe vir toekomstige navorsing dien. Die verhoogde gesondheidvoordele van wyn wat met rooibos en heuningbos plantmateriaal behandel is as gevolg van die inherente anti-oksidante eie aan die spesies, kan dien as fokus vir ʼn nuwe navorsingstema. Die DSA-panele het beskrywende terme vir aromas geïdentifiseer wat verband kan hou met die byvoeging van die hout/blaar of slegs die rooibos- en heuningboshout by die wyn. Die aromas in wyn wat met rooibos en heuningbos behandel is, is gevind om relatief stabiel te bly tydens oksidasie. Dit kan moontlik die weg baan vir toekomstige navorsing oor lae swaweldioksied-bevattende wyne. As gevolg van hierdie studie is ‘n kommersiële wynproduk, genaamd “Rooiboswyn”, ontwikkel en is dit in die handel beskikbaar. Verdere navorsing oor hierdie onderwerp en die impak van die byvoeging van rooibos en heuningbos materiaal by wyn sal moontlik van groot voordeel wees vir die produksie van innoverende wyne met unieke aroma profiele.