Analysis of phenolic compounds in Spanish Albrarino and Portuguese Alvarinho and Loureiro wines by capillary zone electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography

The concentration of different phenolic compounds was measured in Spanish A lbarino and Portuguese Alvarinho and Loureiro white wines by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), in order to characterize them. Although all samples presented the same qualitative pattern (characterized by tyrosol; (-)-epic atechin; syringic acid; ferulic acid; p-coumaric acid; caffeic acid, gallic acid; 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid; cis-coumaroyl tartaric acid (COUTA); tran s-COUTA; trans-caffeoyl tartaric acid (CAFTA), and hydroxycinnamic eaters), some quantitative differences were observed. When samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), in order to compare the res ults obtained by both techniques, no significant qualitative or quantitativ e differences were obtained. Nevertheless, CZE proved to be a more convenie nt technique for the routinary analyses of these wines, due to better separ ation of the different compounds, better peak shapes, and higher speed than HPLC.