“Orange” Wine—The Resurgence of an Ancient Winemaking Technique: A Review

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The paper provides a comprehensive review of the origin, history, brewing technology, wine characteristics and unique brewing vessels of “orange” wine. It would be of great importance to help understanding of an ancient winemaking technique of long-macerated white wines. The paper is logical, interesting, but of careless writing. Just, I suggest some minor modifications before publication:

 

         In the introduction section, it is suggested to give a clear definition of “orange” wine, emphasize that it is a wine made from white grape by maceration  fermentation.

         Line 81, generally, during traditional maceration fermentation, polyphenols mainly come from the grape skin, as the inferior tannins in grape seeds can affect the wine's quality. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid breaking the grape seeds during crushing. Here, in the manuscript, “The seeds play a pivotal role in the extraction of phenolic compounds” this sentence is not a suitable description and is worth reconsidering.

         Line 264, How long does “long-macerated” refer to?

         All images have insufficient resolution, especially the text in the images. In addition, Figure 3 looks like a screenshot, it is recommended to redraw all figures.

         All the tables are very messy, like in line 443, Table 1 should be Table 2 (not mentioned in the main text); line 668 and line 670, the same issues.

 

 

Other suggestions：

line 23: replace qvevri vessels In addition to with “qvevri vessels. In addition to”

line 80: replace wines. [10]. with “wines [10].”

line 118: “Vitis vinifera ssp. vinifera”, the Latin name of species needs to be italicized. Please make the same modifications to similar issues.

line 265, 654-656: Please use double quotes correctly.

line 282: Legend and corresponding figure (Figure 2) should be put together.

line 357: replace SO2 with “SO₂”

 

Author Response

We extend our gratitude for the additional time you've devoted and for providing us with valuable suggestions and recommendations.

A refined description of "orange" wine was incorporated, emphasizing the primary step in the technological process (maceration-fermentation), the grape variety employed, and the key characteristics that the grapes should enhance.

The sentence discussing the role of seeds in wine characterization, originating from line 81, has undergone revision. The emphasis has been shifted towards a current theme, highlighting alternative techniques that prove advantageous in averting protein haze formation, while still retaining the notion of their impact on the aromatic profile.

The “long-macerated” term was defined in terms of length in the lines 272 – 273.

The images underwent improvements, being recreated at a greater resolution and quality level.

The tables were reviewed and referenced within the main text.

For line 23, the “qvevri vessels In addition” was corrected to “qvevri vessels. In addition to”.

For line 80,  “wines. [10].” was replaced with “wines [10].”

“Vitis vinifera ssp. vinifera” was corrected and written in Italics.

The correction of double quote formatting was rectified for lines 265, 654 – 656. Furthermore, the inclusion of double quotes for the term "orange" was applied throughout the entire text.

Figures 2 and 3 were corrected.

For line 357, SO2 was corrected to “SO₂”.

 

Reviewer 2 Report

Revised Review of “Orange” wine – The resurgence of an ancient winemaking technique: A review

This study offers an in-depth understanding of "Orange" wine—a product deeply entrenched in historic Georgian winemaking traditions. The aim of the review is to trace the historical evolution of winemaking, emphasize the importance of qvevri vessels, and analyze the profound impact of extended maceration on the distinct qualities of "Orange" wines.

The abstract is well-written, providing a broad overview of the manuscript. One suggestion would be to emphasize, in this context, that orange wines are derived from white grapes.

The review is well-written and clear throughout. The bibliography seems comprehensive, and in my opinion, no significant changes are necessary. Below, the authors will find a few minor changes, which may be useful for improving the manuscript,

Suggestions for Improvement.

Throughout the article, there is an emphasis on the health benefits of consuming wines with a high polyphenolic content. This “traditional” perspective becomes problematic when considering the latest guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) on alcohol consumption, which downplay the beneficial effects of even moderate consumption of alcohol, including wines rich in polyphenols. In my opinion, statements suggesting health benefits from wine consumption should be revised in this light.

At line 242, it might be beneficial to delve deeper into the distinction between reductive and oxidative practices in oenology, particularly considering the position of macerated wines within this framework. It might be worth noting that even today, winemaking techniques that involve the oxidative management of musts and wines are numerous and still play a role in the production of many quality wines. Relevant in this context is the hyperoxidation technique for musts, which has been used to enhance the oxidative stability of white wines, as well as the production of special wines like Marsala or Sherry.

Line 238: Please be aware that Friuli is a region in Italy, not a province.

From line 254, it might be useful to add information about the spread of maceration techniques worldwide, beyond just the Italian experience.

Please verify the caption placement at line 282.

Check reference at page 15

Line 414: It's possible that not only glycoside derivatives but also free terpenes undergo various acid-catalyzed transformations that alter their organoleptic properties, including their perception threshold. Have any studies evaluated the rate of these phenomena in macerated wines comparison to traditional wines?

Par 4.3.2: Could the authors provide insights into potential scalping phenomena associated with the vessel?

In conclusion, it would be interesting to add some information about the shelf life of these wines and their ability to evolve, and how they do so over time.

Author Response

We wish to express our appreciation for the extra time you dedicated to offering us valuable insights and suggestions aimed at enhancing the quality of the paper.

The sentence at lines 18-19 underwent revision to ensure clarity in understanding the term "orange" wine as a product originating from white grapes.

 For line 238, “province Friuli Venezia Giulia” was replaced with “region Friuli Venezia Giulia”.

The concept of health advantages associated with the consumption of wines rich in polyphenolic content has been reworked to emphasize its retention within the industry, contingent upon moderate wine consumption. Additionally, the focus on phenol presence has been shifted towards other areas, including the product's differentiation and distinct attributes in comparison to other wines, along with the benefits it brings to oxidative processes.

A paragraph has been introduced to provide an overview of oxidative and reductive winemaking methods, highlighting their respective purposes. Additionally, a note regarding the hyperoxidation process has been included, underscoring its role as a preventive technique for enhancing the stability and extending the shelf-life of special wines.

The paragraph regarding exploration of the technology's emergence in Italian winemaking has been  improved by adding information on practices employed in the southern region of Portugal, known as Alentejo. Currently, the focus revolves around researching various markets and specific regions where this technology has proliferated. The objective is to accumulate pertinent data that will contribute to a forthcoming research paper primarily centered on the marketing aspects. This future study will delve into the technology's dissemination, shedding light on its spread across different regions.

With regards to aroma compounds, our endeavor has been to comprehensively compile and incorporate all available published information up to the present date. As of our current knowledge, the entirety of the available information pertaining to this topic has been encompassed within this paper.

Figure 2 was put together with the caption.

The reference on page 15 has been rectified to match the formatting of all the other references.

Regrettably, to our knowledge, there has been no direct research conducted on the phenomenon of scalping. We hold the belief that investigating this subject would be of significant interest, beginning with an exploration of the materials and coatings employed in vessel construction, followed by an examination of how wine behaves in various scenarios. As highlighted in the main text, there exists a range of clay types that can have diverse impacts on the wine's aromatic profile and other chemical attributes, both negatively and positively. We are genuinely convinced that this subject holds the potential for intriguing research, and we are committed to focusing on it, with the hope that future endeavors will yield additional insights.

Subsequent investigations into the topic of shelf-life for "orange" wine or wines subjected to prolonged maceration have yielded no results within the available literature. At this time, to our best knowledge, there is a lack any information regarding this particular subject.

Reviewer 3 Report

It's an interesting review with a good flow of ideas. However, I have a few comments:

 

1. The introduction is well written. However, references are missing throughout the entire introduction to support the ideas, especially in lines 95-107.

 

2. Table 1 - I suggest modifying the table because:

Units should only be indicated in the table header (yield/released mg/L) and not throughout the entire column.

Standardize the analysis method for each reference. Some only mention HPLC, while others include the DAD detector. Therefore, include the type of detector for all.

I don't understand: 'major compound reported' and several are listed for the same type of wine, some with a concentration of 0 mg/L??

 

3. Be cautious with table numbering. Verify that.

 

4. Table 'Parameters targeted in long-term maceration white wine researches'

What's the logic behind this information? It seems irrelevant. To make sense, complete the table with specific information, including value ranges for the indicated parameters.

 

5. More discussion about the tables and referencing them in the text.

 

6. After researching, I realized that there are orange wines made from Turkish grape varieties, for example, among other. Why weren't they included?

 

7. It would be interesting to provide a summary of the main odor-active compounds in these wines, along with their corresponding aroma descriptors.

Author Response

We would like to express our gratitude for your generosity in sharing your time, offering recommendations, and providing suggestions.

 

1. The introduction was completed by incorporating references that support the concepts presented in the subsequent paragraphs.
2. The table underwent revisions, including the following changes:

• Units were exclusively placed in the header.
• Analysis methods were indicated for all references, along with the detector type, except for reference [13] where the detector type was absent in the literature.
• The column header "Major compounds reported" was modified to "Compounds" to avoid potential confusion.
• The value "0 mg/L" was substituted with the abbreviation "N.D."

3. The table numbering was revised.
4. Since, to the authors’ knowledge, literature has not provided an overview related to the specific topic, we believe that including the table could offer a beneficial impact. Moreover, upcoming research and publications are planned, with particular emphasis on investigating aroma compounds and phenolic compounds.
5. Both tables were referenced correctly and discussed in 3.2 section.
6. The aim of the research paper was to offer an overview on the prolonged-macerated white wines from all over the world. Unfortunately, upon revisiting the literature concerning "orange" wine, no research pertaining to Turkish white grape varieties could be found. If feasible, I kindly request assistance in identifying references and their sources that address this topic within the Turkish context.
7. The subject of aroma compounds in "orange" wines holds a compelling appeal, and we believe that it merits a more comprehensive exploration in a separate publication. As being at the beginning of my Ph.D. there is still a lot of research to be done on the topic. Currently, this topic is being actively investigated and efforts are underway to craft a scientific paper dedicated to delving into its complexity.

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report

I think you didn't put much effort into having a comprehensive and logical review and I believe this review still lacks thorough attention to detail.

 

Table 1:

- The units are still not only in the header.

- In English, a period is used instead of a comma: for example, 11.8 instead of 11,8.

- Pay attention to italics in some compounds, such as 'p-coumaric acid'.

- 'System' is not necessary.

- Which reference [13] are you referring to? It doesn't exist in the table. Be cautious.

- I still find it illogical to include compounds that were not determined in the corresponding wines. What's the significance of listing these undetermined compounds?

 

Lines 492-494: What does this sentence have to do with Table 2? (see my last comment) And what are these few studies you refer to? 

 

You mention that you are not incorporating a table about the aromatic composition of the wines because it deserves a separate publication for a more comprehensive exploration (I disagree!). However, section 3.2.4 is about sensory characteristics... in which you incorporate Table 2 that has nothing to do with it. So:

Table 2: I continue to believe that the way it is presented now is irrelevant. Targeted parameters? In what sense? Of course, in any wine, it's necessary to consider the parameters listed in that table. It would be more interesting and, above all, important for the reader if this table focused on the values that this type of wine typically exhibits, and also including the aromatic compounds. This way, this table becomes much more engaging for proper discussion, and furthermore, it can be referenced where you have referred to it.

Author Response

We want to express our gratitude for the additional time you dedicated to offering us valuable suggestions and recommendations. All the changes made in accordance with the requests from the second revision were underlined in the text, in blue.

Table 1:

• The units were removed from the table and only set in the header;
• The period “,” was corrected to “.”;
• The italics in some compounds name have been rectified;
• “System” as a word was removed from the tabel;
• Reference 13 was removed together with former Table 2 (Prameters targeted in long-term maceration white wine researches);
• The “N.D – not determined” compound were removed from the tabel.

The reference studies were added to the sentence in line 473.

            A recently introduced Table (Table 2) has taken the place of the prior one, which highlighted a range of parameters explored in the literature. This updated table now consolidates aroma compounds and their potential aroma descriptors, as identified in research concerning white wine varieties. Moreover, additional discussions concerning this subject have been incorporated.