Changes of the metal composition in German white wines through the winemaking process. A study of 63 elements by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.

Elemental patterns are often used for the classification or identification of the origin of wines. A prerequisite is that the concentration of the elements is not strongly influenced by the addition of different substances such as yeast and fining products during the winemaking process. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been used in this study to determine in total 63 elements (including some nonmetals and the rare earth elements) in five German white wines from five regions of origin. The whole winemaking process was studied, from the must to the ready wine. Microwave acid digestion was used for sample preparation, and indium was added as internal standard for a semiquantitative analysis. Two winemaking processes were compared: with the addition of clarifying agents (bentonites) before and after the fermentation. The concentration of only a few elements such as Li, B, Mg, Ca, Rb, Cs, and Pb seems to be constant throughout the whole winemaking process (changes of <+/-50%) and are independent of the time of addition of the bentonites. When bentonites are added before fermentation, the concentration of other elements, such as V, Co, and Fe, remains constant. If bentonites are added after fermentation, the concentration of some other elements such as Sr, Zn, and Mn is nearly unaffected. These elements are therefore robust elements for origin studies in German white wines.