The influence of pectolytic enzyme addition and prefermentative mash heating during the winemaking process on the phenolic composition of Okuzgozu red wine

The effects of pectolytic enzyme addition and mash heating prior to fermentation on the phenolic component of Okuzgozu red wine during the winemaking and ageing processes were investigated. In general, the highest concentration of total phenolics was found in the mash-heated wines, whereas the total flavan-3-ol and total anthocyanin contents in all of the wines, decreased notably during the winemaking and ageing processes. As determined by HPLC, hydroxycinnamic acids were the major phenolic acids in the red wines. After 6 months in the bottle, the enzyme-treated wines had lower phenolic acid concentrations than had the control and mash-heated wines, but no significant (p < 0.05) differences were found in the concentration of total phenolic acids between the control and mash-heated wines. All of the phenolic acid levels decreased with the winemaking and ageing processes whereas only gallic acid increased. The wines treated by the pectolytic enzyme addition had a lower monomeric flavan-3-ol content than had the other wines, and the amount of monomeric anthocyanins extracted did not increase with the addition of enzymes.