C-glucosidic ellagitannin concentrations variability during the years in Syrah wines from Languedoc vineyard

Abstract

C-Glucosidic ellagitannins, which are the main polyphenolic compounds in oak heartwood, are extracted by wine during aging in oak barrels. The C-glucosidic ellagitannins were extracted and purified (> 95% pure) from Quercus robur heartwood and the hemisynthesis of acutissimins A and B, as well as that of epiacutissimins A and B were performed in an acidic organic solution to identified and quantified their concentration ranges by HPLC-UV-MS in 17 Syrah wine samples from the same cultivar area, Languedoc, same quality wood of French oak barrel, same time of oak barrel ageing (12 months) and different ageing period (years from 1999 to 2011). Unlike our first hypothesis, the linear relationship of a reduction in the total content of ellagitannins with the time spent in bottles is not visible.