WO2008044248A1

WO2008044248A1 - Soft drink

Info

Publication number: WO2008044248A1
Application number: PCT/IT2006/000648
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anselmo Bini; Daniele Rota
Original assignee: Bifim S.R.L.
Priority date: 2006-09-07
Filing date: 2006-09-07
Publication date: 2008-04-17

Abstract

The invention relates to a novel, slightly alcoholic, thirst-quenching beverage consisting of a mixture of unfermented grape must, tea and wine, with a possible small percentage of additives.

Description

Soft drink

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Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a thirst-quenching beverage with a low alcohol content i.e. a so-called "soft drink", which is particularly intended for ad-lib consumption as a corroborating beverage, appetizer or the like. This beverage according to the invention essentially consists of unfermented grape must, tea and wine, as well as a small percentage of additives in order to adjust the flavour and reinforce the colour. Background of the art

Beverages consisting of a mixture of tea and wine with sweeteners, particularly sugar, have been known for a long time. The use of synthetic sugary substances has proved, however, to be rather unsuitable, due to the excessive purity of the compound and the not entirely natural production thereof, and mainly due to the taste impact which is not always appreciated. The object of the present invention is now to provide a beverage of the type as mentioned above, which results to be of a completely natural origin, and has particular organoleptic properties that are more palatable as compared with the above-mentioned known beverages with artificial sugar contents. Summary of the Invention

According to the invention, it has been now noticed that the drawbacks mentioned above are avoided by providing a beverage having the above composition, and particularly consisting of: 35% to 45% unfermented grape must, 30% to 40% tea, 20 to 30% wine, and 0% to 2% flavouring agents, flavours, acidifiers, colourings and the like. Detailed description

While any type and quality wine can be used, it is particularly recommended, especially when the beverage is provided on an industrial scale, that a white table wine is used, which is obtained from the alcohol fermentation of white grape musts, identified as wines produced from authorized grapes, without being required to comply with particular production specifications, according to the Council Regulation (EC) No. 1493/99.

The tea entering the cited composition is obtained as an infusion of water and tea leaves of various origin, the infusion being made at such temperatures and times depending on the variety of tea being used and the particular organoleptic requirements.

Finally, the grape must is a liquid product that is obtained from fresh grapes, either naturally or by means of physical methods. For grape must, actual 1% Alcoholic Strength by Volume (ASV) or less is allowed. By actual ASV is meant the actual ethanol strength, expressed by volume. The selection of grape must has been induced by the opportunity of using a product of a completely natural origin which, in addition to bringing a proper sugar balance, also entails the addition of polyphenols compounds, vitamins, general antioxidants of natural origin which derive from being highly concentrated in fresh fruit, particularly Vitis Vinifera, which is grown worldwide for must and wine production. The must being used is obtained from white grapes and mainly processed with the aid of physical techniques for producing the beverage without particular transformations, neither chemical nor organoleptic. The white grape must, in fact, is one of most complex foods, since it contains a series of acids (tartaric, citric, maleic, etc.) with a very important taste hint, furthermore the polyphenol^ part carries a very important taste ranging from astringent to bitter, sugars (fructose, glucose, etc.) achieve the sweet taste and is further provided a part of compounds among which there are higher alcohols, esters, aldehydes, ketones, etc. which are a non-negligible aromatic part.

For a better definition of the three major components of the beverage, reference should be made to the following table, according to the above Council Regulation (EC) No. 1493/99. Parameter Ethaπol Total acidity Volatile acidity PH Potential Alcohol

Wine Minimum Parameters 9,50 4,00 0,10 2,95 Wine Maximum Parameters 11,50 6,00 0,70 3,6 Must Minimum Parameters 00,,0000 55,,0000 00,,0000 22,,66 9,5

Must Maximum Parameters 1 ,00 9,00 0,50 3,4

Ethanol: expressed in % V/V Total acidity: expressed in g/L in tartaric acid

Volatile acidity: expressed in g/L in acetic acid

Ph: H+ ion activity

Potential alcohol: alcohol that can develop by means of alcoholic fermentation due to the sugar provided in the yeast growth substrate. In order to maintain the grape must under non-fermentation conditions, the beverage can contain chemical substances, which are suitable to prevent this fermentation. In addition, it can be microfiltered in a sterilized manner before bottling, such as to avoid fermentation.

As relates to additives, ranging between 0% and 2%, they are usual flavouring agents, acidifiers, colourings, and the like.

The beverage can be provided with CO₂ added at amounts ranging between

1 and 6 bar at 2O⁰C according to the organoleptic characteristics, which may vary depending on crop years of musts and wines.

Within the percentage ranges as indicated above, a preferred composition is as follows:

37 to 42% grape must

32 to 37% tea infusion

21 to 28% table wine

1% additives The composition below being most preferred:

40% white grape must, 35% tea infusion, 24.5% white wine, less than 0,5% additives. An industrial process for obtaining the above beverage can be provided, which aims at the preservation of the organoleptic characteristics, particularly of the must, with work methods being directed to prevent alcoholic fermentation.

The production of this product mainly consists in mixing the cited ingredients, except for th.e tea which requires a particular processing with regard to water infusion and clarification of the resulting product, which is produced, due to the inherent characteristics thereof, when required for mixing with the other base components of the beverage.

When the base ingredients are mixed, basic organoleptic and chemical analyses are carried out in relation to the subsequent additions of flavouring additives and various correctors. After these chemical corrections, a filtration is provided for obtaining the product as clear as possible, and with the best possible filtration index for the final sterile microfiltration before packaging.

If raw base products (wine, must) are used, a series of processing is necessarily carried out in order to obtain the required stability and flavour, among which there are chemical and physical treatments, etc., to which the wine-growing field formally refers.

Prior to sterile filtration, in the medium there can be provided a dissolution of CO₂ solubilized in containers suitable for the required pressure, by means of suitable solubilizers. Modifications to the production system described above can be also carried out, according to management issues, with regard to the steps of preparation, mixing, gassing and filtration of the ingredients relative to the mass volumes to be created.

Refrigeration is also provided as an aid to the success of the above operations.

Claims

1. A thirst-quenching beverage with a low alcohol content, characterized in that it consists of a mixture of unfermented grape must, tea, wine and possible additives.

2. A beverage according to claim 1 , characterized in that it consists of 35% to 45% unfermented grape must, 30% to 40% tea, 20 to 30% wine and 0% to 2% flavouring agents, flavours, acidifiers, colourings, and the like.

3. A beverage according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the wine is a white table wine.

4. A beverage according to claim 1 , 2 or 3, characterized in that the must is a white grape must.

5. A beverage according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wine admixed therein has the following parameters:

% VA/ ethanol 9.50 to 1150

Total acidity expressed in g/L in tartaric acid 4.00 to 6.00

Volatile acidity expressed in g/L in acetic acid 0.10 to 0.70

Ph: 2.95 to 3.6 6. A beverage according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the unfermented must admixed therein has: the following parameters:

% VA/ ethanol 0.00 to 1.00

Total acidity expressed in G/L in tartaric acid 4.00 to 6.00 ^;

Volatile acidity expressed in g/L in acetic acid 0.00 to 0.50 Ph: 2.

6 to 3.4

Potential alcohol: more than 9.5.

7. A beverage according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises chemical elements suitable for preventing must fermentation.

8. A beverage according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is intended to be stored, until consumption, at a temperature lower than 40⁰C.

9. A beverage according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is microfiltered prior to bottling to prevent grape must fermentation.

10. A beverage according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is added with CO₂.

11. A beverage according to claim 10, characterized in that CO₂ is added in amounts ranging between 1 and 6 bar at 20⁰C.