University of Debrecen
Foods, including vegetables, fruits, certain alcoholic beverages and honeys are excellent indicators of the environment. In recent years, our research group has demonstrated through the synergistic use of elemental and radiocarbon analyses, that honeys of different botanical origins are suitable for long-term environmental reconstruction studies. Like honeys, aszú-type wines have a long shelf life due to their high sugar content, and therefore we assume that they are useful information carriers in environmental reconstruction studies. In Hungary winemaking has a remarkable tradition, many of our characteristic local wines have gained international reputation over the decades. The Tokaj wine region has been producing large quantities of wine destined for the world market. From this region, we had the opportunity to assess a unique collection of aszú samples covering the period 1999 to 2019, marking the longest period analyzed for this wine type to date. The presence and time dependence of macro- and micro-elements in the samples were investigated using ICP-OES, and a more detailed characterisation was also possible using FTIR. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed significant variations in elemental composition attributable to vintage, annual precipitation, sunshine hours, and average temperature. This study highlights the significant role that elemental profiling can play in understanding the complex interplay between environmental factors, agricultural practices, and the chemical composition of Tokaji aszú wines. By analyzing wine samples spanning two decades, we have demonstrated that these wines serve as valuable archives of historical environmental data, reflecting long-term trends in climate, soil management, and viticulture practices providing valuable insights into the various influences.
Abstract
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