Relationship between foam parameters obtained by the gas-sparging method and sensory evaluation of sparkling wines

The foams of 51 sparkling wines of different varieties, harvests and aging times were studied both by the Mosalux gas-sparging method and by sensory evaluation. The instrumental foam parameters, ie foamability (HM), Bikerman coefficient (sigma) and foam stability time (TS), and the descriptors evaluated in the sensory analysis, principally foam area, foam collar and global impression, were correlated positively. The influence of variety and harvest on the foam characteristics of sparkling wines determined from the Mosalux parameters was also reflected in the assessment by sensory analysis. The instrumental method could be applied to base wines to predict the foaming properties of the resulting sparkling wines. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry