Changes in RNA Catabolites of Sparkling Wines During the Biological Aging

In this study the catabolites derived from RNA degradation were assessed in Cava sparkling wines as a consequence of lees autolysis. For this purpose, the changes in the content of adenosine, guanosine, inosine, uridine, hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid were determined by UHPLC-MS/MS, in sparkling wines produced on industrial scale, and aged for 4 years. Uridine is the main nucleoside, and its content increases whenever lees cells are present (sur lie aging). Purines seem to have a fermentative origin, with xanthine the most abundant one. When RNA catabolite amounts in sparkling wines aged with or without lees are compared over time, it can be concluded that lees and their cell degradation play an important role in the evolution of Cava; when lees are removed, RNA catabolite amounts remain unchanged.