White wine in aluminum bottles compared to glass: Kinetics of compositional change and sensory analysis at different storage temperatures

This study investigated the behavior of white wines bottled in aluminum and in traditional glass under controlled storage temperatures, assessing their chemical composition and sensory attributes. Three experimental wines, produced through distinct fermentation protocols, were bottled in glass and aluminum bottles and stored for 191 days at 20 °C and 40 °C. Kinetic modeling (apparent zero-order, apparent first-order and apparent second-order for equal reactant concentrations, Arrhenius temperature dependence) was applied to some key quality markers including acetate esters, p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde reactive flavanols, sulfur dioxide, along with non-modeled parameters as general volatile organic compounds composition, color evaluation, metals release and sensory analysis. Aluminum migration was statistically higher in aluminum-bottled wines throughout the monitored period but remained far below established food safety limits and no sample developed sensory defects such as hydrogen sulfide off-odors, although volatile sulfur compounds were not quantified chemically. The degradation of acetate esters followed an apparent first-order kinetics, p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde reactive flavanols apparent zero-order and sulfur dioxide apparent equal reactants second-order, with intrinsic wine composition exerting a stronger influence on reaction rates than packaging material. Significant differences emerged only in isolated cases, without a consistent trend favoring either container. After 191 days, multivariate analysis of volatile profiles showed minimal separation by type of bottles and sensory evaluation revealed only a slightly higher floral intensity in wines stored at 20 °C in aluminum bottles from one of the three fermentation trials. Color measurements (CIELAB b*) suggested a modest tendency toward yellowing in aluminum bottles. For a single cultivar and harvest, and under the conditions tested, wines in aluminum bottles showed chemical composition and sensory attributes comparable to glass, aside from bitterness.