Effect of carbonic maceration on phenolic composition of red wines

The formation of phenolic constituents is significantly affected by the nat ure and the maturity grade (year) of the grapes as well as by the vinificat ion method adopted. In case of wines made by carbonic maceration, free-run wines shaw higher total phenolic level than press wines and the control ski n-fermented one. In MC-wines (made by carbonic maceration), the longer carbonic maceration t ime (i.e. 14-20 days) made the amount of phenolic constituents (anthocyanin , catechin, leucoanthocyanin) rather much increased. Wines prepared by cold carbonic maceration (16-18 degrees C) contained less phenolics than the control products and the warm (30-32 degrees C) MC wine s, respectively. The effect of an additional skin-fermentation (2 days) performed subsequent ly to the carbonic treatment, proved advantageous, when it was aimed to pre pare red wine.