Understanding the Colour of Red Wines: From Anthocyanins to Complex Pigments

Abstract

The colour of red wine depends, to a great extent, on its phenolic composition. During maceration diverse phenolics are extracted from the solid parts of the grape, especially hydroxycinnamic esters and flavonoids, the most significant of these being the anthocyanins, primarily responsible for colour in young red wines, and the flavanols (catechins and proanthocyanidins), which communicate astringency and influence the evolution of the wine colour (Figure 1).