Improving the color and aging aptitude of Syrah wines in warm climate by wood–grape mix maceration

Abstract

The amelioration of aging aptitude of Syrah red wines from warm climate regions by adding oak wood chips to the grape maceration/fermentation has been developed. Our attention was focused on the tristimulus colorimetry, differential colorimetry and phenolic composition. This technique was applied with an eye toward improving color stabilization of wines in a warm climate region where common loss of color normally occurs. On the basis of the results, a color enhancement (by an increment of chroma, C $$^{\ast}_{ab}$$ ) and significantly (p < 0.05) higher amounts of total polyphenols, anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols and esters of hydroxycinnamic acids were observed in Syrah red wines, favoring a significantly (p < 0.05) higher percentage of copigmentation and, hence, color stabilization. Finally, it could be affirmed that the joint addition of oak wood chips (during both fermentation and aging) induced visually perceptible color differences (ΔE $$^{\ast}_{ab}$$ > 3), mainly quantitative (Δ2 L and Δ2 C), from the early months of storage.