Cold-hardy interspecific hybrid grape varieties (Vitis spp.) have distinctive chemical compositions such as high acidity, a high content of anthocyanin diglucoside and a low condensed tannins content, compared to Vitis vinifera varieties. Considering the importance of phenolic compounds on the quality of red wine, a mechanical maceration technique, accentuated cut edges (ACE), has been evaluated when applied directly to crushed grapes (ACE-C), and 24 h before pressing (ACE-P), to improve the extraction of phenolic compounds. Samples were collected at crushing, bottling, and after five months of aging. Phenolic compounds and color characteristics of the wines were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array and fluorescence detectors and UV-Visible spectrophotometry. The color intensity, non-anthocyanin monomeric compounds and total iron-reactive phenolics content increased after applying ACE, compared to the control (CTL) after aging, and was significantly higher (37%) after ACE-C, compared to ACE-P. However, the concentration of condensed tannins was below the limit of detection in all the samples, indicating that ACE did not help their extraction or further interactions occurred with disrupted cell wall material. Applying ACE at crushing was considered as the optimum time to achieve a higher color stability in Marquette red wines.
Keywords: Marquette; anthocyanins; color stability; skin fragmentation; tannins; wine aging.