Pomegranate varietal wines: Phytochemical composition and quality parameters

Some well-known varieties of pomegranate, including Wonderful and Mollar de Elche, were used for the elaboration of varietal pomegranate wines as an interesting alternative to employ secondary quality and over-ripe fruit. The evolution of quality parameters with a technical relevance and the phytochemical composition of these fruit wines throughout the different winemaking stages were monitored. Noticeable changes occurred during wine elaboration, especially over the fermentation period. In addition, a significant role of the cultivar used in the phenolics profile was noted. Anthocyanins were the main bioactives conditioning both antioxidant capacity and colour parameters. Results pointed out that the elaboration of pomegranate wine from different varieties is a suitable means of industrialisation for underused fruits. Moreover, attending to the rich-in-phytochemicals composition of these novel quality drinks, pomegranate wine consumption could be suggested as a promising source of phenolic antioxidants with a plethora of health-promoting functions.