Effect of the prefermentative addition of copigments on the polyphenolic composition of Tempranillo wines after malolactic fermentation

The influence of the prefermentative addition of copigments and different winemaking technologies on the polyphenolic composition of Tempranillo red wines after malolactic fermentation was studied. Six experiments dealing with the prefermentative addition of caffeic acid, rutin, (+) catechin, white grape skin tannin, white grape seed tannin and control wines were realised. Three different winemaking technologies (traditional vinification, prefermentative cold maceration at 6–8 °C and cold soak at 0–2 °C with dry ice) were studied. Prefermentative addition of copigments increases anthocyanin copigmentation reactions and produces wines with a greater colour, a higher anthocyanin concentration, a superior contribution of anthocyanins to the colour of the wine, a superior percentage of tannins polymerised with polysaccharides and less astringency. Cold prefermentative maceration increases the extraction of polyphenols, the anthocyanin copigmentation reactions and the polymerisation reactions between tannins and polysaccharides. The effectiveness of the combination of copigments and prefermentative maceration treatments was demonstrated by the increase of the concentration of the polyphenolic compounds.