Developmental Changes of Procyanidins in Grapes of Red Vitis vinifera Varieties and Their Composition in Respective Wines

¹ Centro de Investigação em Química, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Departamento de Química, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
² Faculté d'nologie, Université de Bordeaux 2, 351, Cours de la Libération, 33405 Talence, France.

vfreitas{at}fc.up.pt

Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were sampled during the growing season until harvest. The content of catechins ((+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin and (-)-epicatechin gallate, procyanidin dimers B1 to B8, and trimer C1) in the seeds and skin were determined. Procyanidin concentrations were found to be higher at veraison, then decreased, and remained relatively constant near harvest time. In general, Cabernet Sauvignon were richer in low molecular weight procyanidins than Merlot. Knowing that the dimer B4 is found only in grape seeds, and that dimer B2 is derived from both skin and seeds, it was possible to estimate the contribution of skin and seeds polyphenols to the total tannins in wines. At the end of vinification, the contribution of polyphenols extracted from grape seeds was found to be greater in Cabernet Sauvignon than in Merlot wines.

Key words: Vitis vinifera, seeds, grape skin, wine, catechins, proanthocyanidins, tannin

Submitted on July 30, 1999
Revised on October 17, 2000

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