Anthocyanin fingerprint of clones of Tempranillo grapes and wines made with them

Background and Aims:  Different clones with distinctive enological characteristics have been identified in many grape cultivars, but data on differences in anthocyanin composition of clones of the same cultivar are scarce. Thus, it has been considered of interest to check changes in the anthocyanin fingerprint of six different clones of Tempranillo grapes grown in the same vineyard, and of wines made with them, over three consecutive years.
Methods and Results:  Data were submitted to different statistical procedures. Despite slight differences in the anthocyanin fingerprint of some clones (relative content of different anthocyanins analysed), variations from year to year were more important than differences in the anthocyanin profile of the clones considered. This fact was also observed when the content (mg/kg grapes) of those molecules was considered. Moreover, Tempranillo wines made with different clones could be classified by discriminant analysis, using the anthocyanin fingerprint or the levels (mg/L wine) of several anthocyanins as predictor variables, and the year grapes were collected as a classification factor.
Conclusions:  The anthocyanin fingerprint of six clones of Tempranillo grapes grown in the same vineyard and that of wines made with them over three consecutive years was affected mostly by weather conditions, despite slight differences in the anthocyanin fingerprint of some clones.
Significance of the Study:  This is the first report on the anthocyanin composition of different clones of Tempranillo grapes and of wines made with them, and indicates that anthocyanin fingerprint of Tempranillo wines depends mainly on agroclimatic factors, and not on genetic differences among clones.