Oenological potential of extracts from winery and cooperage by-products in combination with colloidal silver as natural substitutes to sulphur dioxide.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the oenological potential of natural extracts from winery and cooperage by-products, either alone or with a colloidal silver complex (CSC), on the quality of red wines, as possible substitutes to SO2. Natural extracts were obtained from grape seeds and American oak wood by accelerated extraction with subcritical water. The prefermentative addition of grape seed or oak wood extracts was an useful tool to control acetic acid bacteria development, without affecting the alcoholic and malolactic fermentations. Both extracts protected the wines against oxidation, without negatively modifying their phenolic and volatile composition. They did not cause organoleptic defects in wines, which presented greater aromatic complexity and were positively evaluated by the tasters. Therefore, the use of grape seed or oak wood extracts in red vinification could be a good alternative to replace or reduce the doses of SO2.