Influence of 4 years of ageing on some phenolic compounds in red wines

Most of red wine's health benefits are attributed to polyphenols, which can express different biological effects. During ageing process, numerous chemical reactions occur, alternating phenolic composition of wine. Therefore, this paper focused on the influence of ageing on the evolution of wine phenolics (phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenes, and anthocyanins). Wines from 4 local grape varieties (Frankovka, Portugieser, Probus, and Rumenika) were analysed after 1 month and 4 years of ageing. Monomeric anthocyanin and total phenolic contents and antioxidative potential in aged wines were also determined. Among tested phenolics, main components in aged wines remained gallic acid (2.16–19.55 mg l−1) and catechin (8.39–37.21 mg l−1). The most prominent changes of analysed phenolic compounds during ageing were observed for p-coumaric acid (from +173.3% to +763.1%) and malvidin-3-glucoside (from +173.3% to +763.1%). Wine from Rumenika variety maintained the highest content of individual phenols after ageing. Additionally, aged wines had very low content of monomeric anthocyanins. Significant correlation (r= −0.93, P<0.05) between total phenolic content and IC50 values in aged wines was also noticed. Obtained results provide useful information about the quality preservation during aging and storage of these products.