Pinot noir grapes have a unique phenolic profile which can impinge on the extraction and stabilisation of compounds such as anthocyanins and tannins which contribute to the colour and mouthfeel of red wine. This study examined the concentration of phenolic compounds in Pinot noir grape must and wine following application of a novel microwave maceration treatment for red grape must. Microwave maceration was shown to be highly effective for extraction of phenolics from grape solids into grape juice. When juices were fermented to wine, ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry showed microwave maceration was associated with significantly higher concentrations of total phenolics, anthocyanin, tannin and pigmented tannin in wine at 18 months bottle age, compared with control wine. Mean tannin concentration in microwave treatment wine was 0.60 gm/L at 18 months, compared with 0.14 gm/L in control wine. The microwave treatment was also associated with a substantial and rapid decrease in the grape-associated yeast population, compared with control maceration, and a shorter lag phase at the outset of alcoholic fermentation. Based on this study, microwave maceration warrants further investigation as a potential industrial-scale application in red winemaking.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	tannin, anthocyanin, phenolics, extraction, maceration, pasteurisation
Research Division:	Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences
Research Group:	Horticultural production
Research Field:	Oenology and viticulture
Objective Division:	Manufacturing
Objective Group:	Processed food products and beverages (excl. dairy products)
Objective Field:	Alcoholic beverages
UTAS Author:	Carew, AL (Dr Anna Carew)
UTAS Author:	Sparrow, AM (Dr Angela Sparrow)
UTAS Author:	Close, DC (Professor Dugald Close)
UTAS Author:	Dambergs, RG (Dr Robert Dambergs)
ID Code:	85193
Year Published:	2014
Web of Science® Times Cited:	41
Deposited By:	Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture
Deposited On:	2013-06-18
Last Modified:	2017-11-02
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