Wine quality: Correlations with colour density and anthocyanin equilibria in a group of young red wines

TLDR

The study discusses how wine composition and oenological practice influence anthocyanin equilibria. The authors found that colour density and anthocyanin ionisation correlate with panel quality ratings, while colour density alone does not predict anthocyanin content, suggesting these measurements can objectively guide organoleptic assessment of young wines.

Abstract

Abstract Following an exhibition of 32 current vintage red wines of two varieties from the Southern Vales district of South Australia, a correlation was observed between colour densities and the order of ranking previously assigned by a panel of experienced judges. There was no relation between wine colour density and anthocyanin content. Amongst many wines having comparable levels of anthocyanins, the variation in colour density was as much as 3.6‐fold, and the degree of ionisation of the anthocyanin component of wine colour was found to range from 6 to 25%. These latter values were also correlated with the quality ratings. The data support the opinion that measurement of colour density and of the degree of ionisation of anthocyanins can provide an objective guide to organoleptic properties in young wines of the same variety and region. Confirmation for this view was obtained from other data concerning the subsequent vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the same district. Factors likely to be responsible for the varying states of anthocyanin equilibria in these wines are discussed in terms of wine composition and oenological practice.