Ripening Conditions for Reds and Measurements to Assess Ripeness: A Burgundy Model

The quality of the food products from raw material is generally dependent on phenolic compounds, mainly in the case of grapes and wines. In Burgundy, the phenolic composition of Pinot Noir grapes can be very different from one year to another one. Since a few years, we have been trying to measure the phenolic compounds evolution in the berries in order to be able to choose the best time for harvest. In Pinot Noir seeds the tannins are low molecular weight (Mr) condensed molecules and may contribute, in so far as they are released into the medium, to organoleptic qualities. Examples will be presented to compare in the same area, the phenolic composition of the grape berries, the extractibility of both anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, and the wine composition.