ABSTRACT
Polyphenols are a large and complex group of compounds responsible for the characteristics, quality, and color of grape and wine, especially for red ones. The polyphenolic composition has been extensively studied and a large family of structures have been identiˆed in grapes and wine (Ribereau-Gayon 1965; Somers 1971; Nagel and Wulf 1979; Slinkard and Singleton 1984; Bourzeix et al. 1986; Cheynier and Rigaud 1986; Da Silva et al. 1991b; Prieur et al. 1994; Souquet et al. 1996) These compounds can affect the appearance, taste, mouth-feel, fragrance, and antimicrobial properties of wine. In addition, polyphenols were conˆrmed to be the key compounds responsible for the antioxidant potential of wine (Burns et al. 2000).
