The influence of extraction methods on the quality characteristics of red wines

Abstract

The main technological task in the production of high-quality red wines is to ensure favourable conditions for the extraction of components from solid elements of a grape bunch. Present work is devoted to the study and comparative assessment of the effect of various extraction methods (carbonic maceration of the must, carbonic maceration of grapes, pre-fermentative maceration of the must) on the quality characteristics of red wines prepared from grape varieties ‘Cabernet-Sauvignon’, ‘Syrah’ and ‘Merlot’. The positive effect of the methods of carbonic maceration of both must and grapes was established in relation to the accumulation of ethyl alcohol (by 0.5-0.9 %), as well as biologically active substances: flavan-3-ols ((+)-D-catechin and (-)-epicatechin) and oxycoric (caftaric and cautaric) acids – by 1.5-1.8 times compared to the classical technology. Therefore, the carbonic maceration method provides a less intensive course of oxidative processes at the stage of must, which causes the preservation of oxycoric acids in wine. Carbonic maceration of must provide a higher content of the reduced extract (up to 15%), effective extraction of anthocyanins (from 9 to 145%) and phenolic compounds (by 7-25%), which manifest itself through the increase in the color intensity index (up to 26%).