Term for the salts and esters of glutamic acid, which are known as flavour enhancers in food and are responsible for the umami taste sensation. Free glutamates are particularly abundant in fully ripe and dried products, especially tomatoes, meat, cheese and seasonings. However, glutamate should not be confused with gluten (gluten protein), to which some people have an allergic reaction.
Glutamates also occur naturally in grapes and wine, albeit in very small quantities. Ripe berries already contain free glutamic acid, which is partially converted into glutamates during fermentation or through prolonged storage with yeast. The concentrations in wine are usually below 10 mg/l, but can reach up to around 30 mg/l in mature white wine, sparkling wine or sherry. There they subtly contribute to the perception of umami.
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Thomas Götz
Weinberater, Weinblogger und Journalist; Schwendi