Abstract:
Grapes, the quintessential
quality factor in winemaking, are found in
certain areas of the globe where
viticulture thrives. The quality of wine
products is directly influenced by the
quality of the grapes, their process
technology, the care and the quality of the
premises and equipment used, as well as
the conditions for the storage and use of
the wines. In most red wine-making
processes, it is preferred that the
maceration process is accompanied by the
fermentation process, as increase in the
alcohol content favours the intensification
of the extraction process. For this reason,
both processes are combined in a single
technological operation known as
maceration-fermentation. The largest
amount of polyphenolic compounds of
wine, anthocyanins and tannins comes
from the solid parts of the grapes ‒ the
skins and seeds, and these have a decisive
influence on the phenolic character of
wines. Maceration is a fractional
extraction which leads to the dissolution
of the useful components of the grapes,
which give the flavour, colour and taste
typical of red wine. The aim of this
research was to analyse the effect of
different techniques of macerationfermentation
on the phenolic composition
of red wines obtained from Merlot, Pinot
noir and Cabernet Sauvignon grape
varieties in Copou-Iasi vineyard
compared to red wines obtained from the
same varieties in Murfaltar vineyard,
located in the northeast and south of
Romania, respectively. Wines obtained by
maceration-fermentation in rotating tanks
have higher values of the Folin-Ciocâlteu
index (wines obtained from Pinot noir) in
contrast to those obtained by the classical
maceration-fermentation technique (wines
obtained from Merlot and Cabernet
Sauvignon).
Keywords: maceration
