Polyphenol Content and Total Antioxidant Activity of<i>Vini Novelli</i>(Young Red Wines)

TLDR

The study compared eight commercial Italian vini novelli produced by carbonic maceration with experimental pairs of wines made by traditional or carbonic maceration to assess antioxidant activity. Vini novelli exhibited lower total phenol but higher flavanol and antioxidant activity than aged wines, with anthocyanins more abundant, yet overall antioxidant activity was similar, indicating aging rather than maceration technique drives antioxidant levels. Keywords: young red wine, antioxidant activity, phenols, flavanols, flavonols.

Abstract

Eight commercial Italian vini novelli (red wines prepared by carbonic maceration and supposed to be consumed within three months from their wine-making) were evaluated for their total antioxidant activity. The wines had an average total phenol content (1605.4 ± 337.4 mg/L gallic acid equivalents) lower than that of wines prepared by traditional maceration and consumable after aging (2057.3 ± 524.0 mg/L gallic acid equivalents). The average flavanol content (424.7 ± 121.3 mg/L catechin equivalents) and the total antioxidant activity (16.8 ± 3.8 mmol/L Trolox equivalents) of vini novelli were higher than the corresponding values (382.7 ± 174.5 mg/L catechin equivalents and 12.3 ± 3.3 mmol/L Trolox equivalents) found for aged wines. Three couples of experimental wines were prepared from the same grapes by traditional or carbonic maceration. These wines showed a different phenolic pattern, anthocyanins being more abundant in vini novelli. However, the average total antioxidant activities of the wines were similar, suggesting that aging (and not the wine-making technique) is the main factor influencing the antioxidant activity of red wines. Keywords: Young red wine; antioxidant activity; phenols; flavanols; flavonols