New phenolic grape skin products from Vitis vinifera cv. Pinot Noir

Anthocyanins and their related compounds were extracted from grape skins of Pinot noir, using 50% aqueous methanol, and purified by solid phase extraction chromatography using XAD-7 resin to obtain a pigment-rich fraction. This fraction was subjected to multilayer coil countercurrent chromatography (MLCCC) using a quaternary solvent system consisting of tert-butyl methyl ether/n-butanol/acetonitrile/water acidified with 0.01% trifluoroacetic acid (2:2:0.1-1.8:5) (v/v/v/v) in a step gradient elution to separate anthocyanin oligomers from grape anthocyanins. In the process of the characterization of the MLCCC fractions by electrospray mass spectrometry, two noncolored anthocyanin derivatives were found and characterized on the basis of their mass spectral data. As a result, these compounds have been tentatively identified as coupling products between both hydrated malvidin-3-glucoside and peonidin-3-glucoside, with 2-S-glutathionyl caffeoyl tartaric acid (GRP). It is therefore proposed that grape skins contain this new class of coupling product, and a possible chemical pathway for their formation is suggested.     

Influence of vine vigor on grape (Vitis vinifera L. Cv. Pinot Noir) and wine proanthocyanidins

The relationships between variations in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Pinot noir) growth and resulting fruit and wine phenolic composition were investigated. The study was conducted in a commercial vineyard consisting of the same clone, rootstock, age, and vineyard management practices. The experimental design involved monitoring soil, vine growth, yield components, and fruit composition (soluble solids, flavan-3-ol monomers, proanthocyanidins, and pigmented polymers) on a georeferenced grid pattern to assess patterns in growth and development. Vine vigor parameters (trunk cross-sectional area, average shoot length, and leaf chlorophyll) were used to delineate zones within both blocks to produce research wines to investigate the vine-fruit-wine continuum. There was no significant influence of vine vigor on the amount of proanthocyanidin per seed and only minimal differences in seed proanthocyanidin composition. However, significant increases were found in skin proanthocyanidin (mg/berry), proportion of (-)-epigallocatechin, average molecular mass of proanthocyanidins, and pigmented polymer content in fruit from zones with a reduction in vine vigor. In the wines produced from low-vigor zones, there was a large increase in the proportion of skin tannin extracted into the wine, whereas little change occurred in seed proanthocyanidin extraction. The level of pigmented polymers and proanthocyanidin molecular mass were higher in wines made from low-vigor fruit compared to wines made from high-vigor fruit, whereas the flavan-3-ol monomer concentration was lower.     

Influence of vine vigor on grape (Vitis vinifera L. Cv. Pinot Noir) anthocyanins. 2. Anthocyanins and pigmented polymers in wine

The relationships between grapevine (Vitis vinifera) vigor variation and resulting wine anthocyanin concentration and composition and pigmented polymer formation were investigated. The study was conducted in a commercial vineyard consisting of the same clone, rootstock, age, and vineyard management practices. Vine vigor parameters were used to designate vigor zones within two vineyard sites (A and B) to produce research wines (2003 and 2004) and conduct a model extraction experiment (2004 only) to investigate the vine-fruit-wine continuum. Wines and model extracts were analyzed by HPLC and UV-vis spectrophotometry. For the model extractions, there were no differences between sites for pomace weight, whereas juice volume was higher for site A. This was not related to a larger berry size. Site A had a higher anthocyanin concentration (milligrams per liter) in the model extracts than site B specifically for the medium- and low-vigor zones. For anthocyanin composition in the model extraction, site B had a greater proportion of malvidin-3-O-glucoside and less of the remaining anthocyanin glucosides (delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin, and peonidin) compared to site A. In the wines, there was a vintage effect, with the 2003 wines having a higher anthocyanin concentration (milligrams per liter) than the 2004 wines. This appears to have been primarily due to a greater accumulation of anthocyanins in the fruit. In general, the medium-vigor zone wines had higher anthocyanin concentrations than either the high- or low-vigor zone wines. There was also vintage variation related to anthocyanin composition, with the 2003 wines having a higher proportion of delphinidin and petunidin glucosides and lower malvidin-3-O-glucoside compared to 2004. In both years, there were higher proportions of delphinidin and petunidin glucosides in wines made from low-vigor-zone fruit. Wines made from low-vigor zones showed a greater propensity to form vitisin A as well as pigmented polymers. Low-vigor-zone wines had a approximately 2-fold increase in pigmented polymer concentration (milligrams per liter) over high-vigor-zones wines. There was a strong positive relationship between pigmented polymer concentration, bisulfite bleaching resistant pigments, proanthocyanidin concentration, and color density in wines. Overall, differences found in the wines magnified variation in the fruit.     

Influence of vine vigor on grape (Vitis vinifera L. Cv. Pinot Noir) anthocyanins. 1. Anthocyanin concentration and composition in fruit

The relationships between grapevine (Vitis vinifera) vigor variation and resulting fruit anthocyanin accumulation and composition were investigated. The study was conducted in a commercial vineyard consisting of the same clone, rootstock, age, and vineyard management practices. The experimental design involved assigning vigor zones in two vineyard sites based upon differences in vine growth. Fruits and wines were analyzed by HPLC from designated vigor zones in 2003 and 2004. Average berry weight (grams), average dry skin weight (milligrams), degrees Brix, and pH were higher and titratable acidity (grams per liter) was lower in 2003 compared to 2004. In 2003, only the highest and lowest vigor zones had differences in berry weight, whereas there were no differences in 2004. In both years, high vigor zones had lower degrees Brix and higher titratable acidity (milligrams per liter). Accumulation of anthocyanins (milligrams per berry) was greater in 2003 compared to 2004. There was a trend for lower anthocyanin concentration (milligrams per berry) in high vigor zones in both years. In 2004 compared to 2003, there was a higher proportion of malvidin-3-O-glucoside and lower proportions of the other four anthocyanins (delphinidin-, cyanidin-, petunidin-, and peonidin-3-O-glucosides) found in Pinot Noir. In both years, site A had proportionally higher peonidin-3-O-glucoside and lower malvidin-3-O-glucoside than site B. Some of these differences may be related to the higher exposure and temperatures found in site B compared to site A and also in the low vigor zones.     

Isolation of isolectins from Vitis vinifera L. Cv. Chardonnay grape berries

A lectin fraction from Chardonnay grape juice has been isolated by affinity chromatography on a column of p-aminophenyl beta-D-glucoside-derivatized agarose. The lectin fractions agglutinate rabbit and human erythrocytes without serological specificity. None of the usual monosaccharides, glycosides, or glycoproteins inhibit the hemagglutinating activity. Erythroagglutination is only inhibited by nitrophenyl glycosides, p-nitrophenyl beta-D-glucoside being the strongest inhibitor. In SDS-PAGE in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol and gel filtration HPLC, the lectin fraction gave a single band or peak corresponding to M(r) 13.2-11.9 kDa, thus indicating it to be a monomer. Three bands were observed by isoelectric focusing with pI values of 4.1, 4. 4, and 4.9. The isolectins seem to be glycoproteins since they are bound on a concanavalin A-Sepharose column.     

Aroma composition of Vitis vinifera Cv. tannat: the typical red wine from Uruguay

The free volatiles, as well as those released from the glycosidically bound forms by enzyme hydrolysis, have been analyzed to chracterize young Tannat wines from two successive vintages. The Tannat wine showed some aroma profile peculiarities detected in the free forms but, above all, in the bound fraction for the level and profile of the norisoprenoidic fraction. Among the free volatile compunds, a rather low content of C(6) alcohols with a prevalence of cis-3-hexen-1-ol on the trans form and sometimes a remarkable level of trans-2-hexen-1-ol seem to be typical for the variety. C(13)-norisoprenoidic and monoterpenic volatiles made up approximately 42% of the total level of the volatiles observed in the glycosidase enzyme-released fraction. The other volatiles were C(6) alcohols (6%) and benzenoid compounds (51%). The dominating monoterpene alcohols were the cis and trans isomers of 3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadiene-3,8-diol (8-hydroxylinalool). The C(13)-norisoprenoid pattern was composed by 3-hydroxy-beta-damascone, 3-oxo-alpha-ionol, vomifoliol, 4-oxo-beta-ionol, 3-oxo-7,8-dihydro-alpha-ionol, 4-oxo-7,8-dihydro-beta-ionol, grasshopper ketone, and 7,8-dihydrovomifoliol.     

Effect of brining on biological activity of leaves of Vitis vinifera L. (Cv. Sultani Cekirdeksiz) from Turkey

Leaves of Vitis vinifera (Fam. Vitaceae) cv. 'Sultani Cekirdeksiz' cultivated in Manisa-Alasehir in western Turkey, were processed with or without brine. Fresh, brined, and nonbrined leaves (after being subjected to 3 months of fermentation) were sampled and extracted with distilled water under reflux. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-nociceptive activities of the water extracts were investigated using in vitro and in vivo methods. Free radical scavenging activity (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH* assay), iron(III) reductive activity (reducing power activity assay), capacity of inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation (ferric thiocyanate and thiobarbituric acid method), anti-nociceptive activity (p-benzoquinone-induced abdominal constriction test), and anti-inflammatory activity (carrageenan-induced hind paw edema model) were used to determine biological activities of the extracts. In addition, the contents of total phenolics, flavonoids, and flavonols in the extracts were determined by spectrophotometrical methods. Results were compared with those of ascorbic acid, butylated hydroxytoluene, and gallic acid as reference antioxidants. The extracts of fresh, brined, and nonbrined leaves showed almost the same activity in all antioxidant assays. These extracts inhibited the oxidation of linoleic acid to the same extent as BHT. Compositions of the extracts were analyzed by a reverse phase HPLC-PDA method. The occurrence of hydroxycinnamic acids (e.g., caffeic acid) and flavonoids (e.g., quercetin) was verified in the extracts. The content of total flavonoids as well as quercetin was increased by fermentation.     

Comparison of DOP and DRIS Methods for Leaf Nutritional Diagnosis of Vitis vinifera L., Cv. Tempranillo

Deviation from optimum percentage (DOP) and Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) are methodologies for leaf analysis interpretation. DOP calculates the deviation as a percentage for each essential element while DRIS calculates the average deviation for different ratios that include each element. A vine survey was undertaken for 11 years in La Rioja, northeastern Spain, to establish nutritional references for cv. ‘Tempranillo’ (Vitis vinifera L.). Diagnosis of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium were performed by DRIS and DOP on the dataset for leaf blade and petiole, at both flowering (n = 684) and veraison (n = 801) with a moderate-yield criterion (3,800–10,000 kg·ha^?1). Important differences between DOP and DRIS were found when a diagnosis using the same dataset was performed. In spite of the differences, the regression equations obtained are an acceptable adjustment between both methods for phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg) in blades and petioles, and for potassium (K) in blades.     

Effects of vine or bunch shading on the glycosylated flavor precursors in grapes of Vitis vinifera L. Cv. syrah

Effects of the modification of vine or bunch environment on glycoconjugates were studied in Syrah berries over two years. Vines were shaded from berry set to maturity, with black polyethylene nets of different mesh size to obtain 30 and 50% of the direct sunlight. Bunches were naturally shaded by the leaves or artificially with 90% shade bags. Sun-exposed berries were chosen as control berries. A quantitative decrease in levels of glycoconjugates was observed in shaded bunches, particularly for phenolic and C(13)-norisoprenoidic glycosides. In the same way, vine shading caused a decrease in the contents of glycosides of terpenols, phenols, and C(13)-norisoprenoids in berries, but the grape environment (microclimate) affected the berry composition more than the vine environment. A cluster thinning experiment confirmed the independence of grapes with regard to the plant for the biosynthesis of the C(13)-norisoprenoid glycosides.     

Phenolic composition of champagnes from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vintages

Nineteen phenolic compounds including hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoids, phenolic alcohols, and phenolic aldehydes have been identified and quantified in two monovarietal champagnes, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, by using a reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system coupled with diode array detection. The identification of four hydroxycinnamic tartaric esters (caftaric, coutaric, fertaric, and 2-S-glutathionylcaftaric acids), two flavanonols (astilbin and engeletin), and some other compounds was confirmed by HPLC coupled with mass spectrometry. Caftaric acid and tyrosol were the major phenols. Hydroxybenzoic acids and flavonoids were present at low concentrations. The phenolic compositions of 2000 and 2001 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vary quantitatively according to the year and the variety, but the chemical natures of the molecules are the same. The total phenolic content determined by colorimetric measurement ranges from 176 to 195 mg/L of gallic acid equivalent and is similar to that described in white wines.     

Influence of plant water status on the production of C13-norisoprenoid precursors in Vitis vinifera L. Cv. cabernet sauvignon grape berries

The influence of irrigation strategy on grape berry carotenoids and C13-norisoprenoid precursors was investigated for Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Sauvignon. Two irrigation treatments were compared, one in which vines received reduced irrigation applied alternately to either side of the vine (partial rootzone drying, PRD) and a second control treatment in which water was applied to both sides of the vine. Over the two years of the experiments, PRD vines received on average 66% of the water applied to the controls. Initially, the PRD treatment did not alter midday leaf (psiL) and stem (psiS) water potential relative to the control, but decreased stomatal conductance (gs). Continued exposure to the PRD treatment resulted in treated grapevines experiencing hydraulic water deficit relative to the control treatment and induced lowered midday psiL and psiS, which was also reflected in decreased berry weight at harvest. In both irrigation treatments, the most abundant grape berry carotenoids, beta-carotene and lutein, followed the developmental pattern typical of other grape varieties, decreasing post-veraison. At certain points in time, as the fruit approached maturity, the concentration of these carotenoids was increased in fruit of PRD-treated vines relative to the controls. This effect was greater for lutein than for beta-carotene. PRD consistently caused increases in the concentration of hydrolytically released C13-norisoprenoids beta-damascenone, beta-ionone, and 1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene in fruit at harvest (24 degrees Brix) over two seasons. The effect of the PRD treatment on the concentration of hydrolytically released C13-norisoprenoids was greater in the second of the two seasons of the experiment and was also reflected in an increase in total C13-norisoprenoid content per berry. This suggests that the increases in the concentration of the C13-norisoprenoids in response to PRD were independent of water deficit induced changes in berry size and were not the result of an altered berry surface area to volume ratio.     

Monomeric, oligomeric, and polymeric flavan-3-ol composition of wines and grapes from Vitis vinifera L. Cv. Graciano, Tempranillo, and Cabernet Sauvignon

The monomeric, oligomeric, and polymeric flavan-3-ol composition of wines, grape seeds, and skins from Vitis vinifera L. cv. Graciano, Tempranillo, and Cabernet Sauvignon has been studied using (1) fractionation by polyamide column chromatography followed by HPLC/ESI-MS analysis, (2) fractionation on C(18) Sep-Pak cartridges followed by reaction with vanillin and acid-catalyzed degradation in the presence of toluene-alpha-thiol (thiolysis). The content of monomers ((+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin), procyanidin dimers (B3, B1, B4, and B2), trimers (T2 and C1), and dimer gallates (B2-3-O-gallate, B2-3'-O-gallate, and B1-3-O-gallate) ranged from 76.93 to 133.18 mg/L in wines, from 2.30 to 8.21 mg/g in grape seeds, and from 0.14 to 0.38 mg/g in grape skins. In wines, the polymeric fraction represented 77-84% of total flavan-3-ols and showed a mean degree of polymerization (mDP) value of 6.3-13.0. In grapes, the polymeric fraction represented 75-81% of total flavan-3-ols in seeds and 94-98% in skins and showed mDP values of 6.4-7.3 in seeds and 33.8-85.7 in skins. All the monomeric flavan-3-ols and oligomeric procyanidins found in wines were also present in seeds, although differences in their relative abundances were seen. The skin polymeric proanthocyanidins participated in the equilibration of the wine polymeric proanthocyanidin fraction, especially contributing to the polymer subunit composition and mDP.     

Vitisin A content in Chilean wines from Vitis vinifera Cv. Cabernet Sauvignon and contribution to the color of aged red wines

Vitisin A was prepared from malvidin 3-glucoside and pyruvic acid in model wine medium, isolated by countercurrent chromatography, and purified by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The synthesized compound was used as a reference standard to quantify vitisin A in Chilean wines from Vitis vinifera cv. Cabernet Sauvignon, including a vertical row of wines from the same vineyard over 16 years. Maximum vitisin A content was reached within the first year of storage. Importantly, up to half of the initial amount of vitisin A in young wines was still present in 15 year old wines. Although vitisin A was found to be much more stable as compared to other monomeric C-4 underivatized anthocyanins, it also slowly degrades after reaching its peak concentration. The "color activity concept" was applied to vitisin A, malvidin 3-glucoside, malvidin 3-(6' '-acetylglucoside), and polymeric pigments isolated by countercurrent chromatography in order to estimate their contribution toward the overall color expression of wines. It was found that vitisin A is only a minor contributor to the visually perceived color of aged red wines (color contribution approximately 5%). The major contributor is the polymeric fraction (color contribution approximately 70-90%).     

Aging effect on the pigment composition and color of Vitis vinifera L. Cv. Tannat wines. Contribution of the main pigment families to wine color

Red wines made from Vitis vinifera L. cv. Tannat grapes are known to possess high contents of tannins and intense color, features that are responsible for the originality of these wines. This work aimed to study the evolution of the pigment composition and CIELAB color parameters as Tannat wines become older, as well as to establish the contribution to wine color of the main pigment families. Tannat wines produced in Uruguay from grapes of the same vineyard in six consecutive vintages (1998-2003) and Tannat grapes of the 2003 harvest were analyzed by means of HPLC-DAD-MS and UV-vis spectrometric techniques. The correlations between the different pigment families and the CIELAB parameters revealed the importance of the variations of the percentage, found in anthocyanins and flavanol-anthocyanin acetaldehyde-mediated condensation products (decrease) and pyranoanthocyanins and direct condensation products (increase), in the modification of the color from purple-red hues to more orange-red ones. The color suffered qualitative rather than quantitative changes, that is, the hue (h*ab) increased, whereas the chroma (C*ab) and lightness (L) did not show a defined trend with time.     

Prediction of wine color attributes from the phenolic profiles of red grapes (Vitis vinifera)

Knowledge about the relation between grape and wine phenolics is of key interest for the wine industry with respect to being able to predict wine quality from analyses of grapes. Prediction of the phenolic composition and color of experimentally produced red wines from the detailed phenolic composition of the corresponding grapes was investigated using a multivariate approach. Grape extracts and wines were produced from 55 different grape samples, covering 8 different Vitis vinifera cultivars: Alicante, Merlot, Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Mourvedre. The phenolic composition of the grapes and wines showed that the average ratios between wine and grape phenolics ranged from 0.25 to 7.9 for the different phenolic compounds. Most interestingly, the average ratios were low for anthocyanins (0.31) and tannins (0.32), intermediate for (+)-catechin (0.75) and polymeric pigments (0.98), and high for gallic acid (7.9). Individual wine phenolics in general correlated well with several grape phenolics, indicating that a multivariate approach might be advantageous for prediction of wine phenolics from grape phenolics analysis. However the use of multivariate prediction of individual wine phenolics from the complete grape phenolic composition only improved the prediction of wine polymeric pigments, whereas wine anthocyanins were predicted with the same precision as from the direct relation with grape anthocyanins. Prediction of color attributes of pH normalized experimental wines from the phenolic profiles of grapes was accomplished using a multivariate approach. The correlation between predicted and measured total wine color was high ( r = 0.958) but was very similar to the correlation coefficient obtained for the direct relation between grape anthocyanins and total wine color ( r = 0.961). Color due to copigmentation, color due to anthocyanins, and color intensity were also predicted well.     

Contribution of benzenemethanethiol to smoky aroma of certain Vitis vinifera L. wines

Benzenemethanethiol, a volatile thiol with a strong empyreumatic aroma reminiscent of smoke, has been identified in boxwood (Buxus sempervirens L.) as well as in red and white Vitis vinifera L. wines. The perception threshold in a model hydroalcoholic solution is approximately 0.3 ng/L. All of the wines analyzed for this study contained this compound in concentrations of several dozen nanograms per liter. The Chardonnay wines had 30-40 ng/L. Sensory discrimination between a wine containing 7 ng/L benzenemethanethiol and the same wine with an additional 4 ng/L is very significant; the difference in smell is described as "empyreumatic". This compound can therefore significantly contribute to the aroma of certain wines (Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay, etc.) containing concentrations as high as 30-100 times higher than their perception threshold.     

Effects of cluster light exposure on 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine accumulation and degradation patterns in red wine grapes ( Vitis vinifera L. Cv. Cabernet Franc)

The effects of light exposure on 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (IBMP) accumulation and degradation in Vitis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Franc berries were assessed by comparison of shaded and exposed clusters within the same vine throughout a growing season. Twenty-seven vines were shoot-thinned to create regions of high and low cluster-light exposure within each vine. Samples were collected at 10 time points starting from 5 to 130 days postbloom. The experimental design allowed for intravine comparison of IBMP levels between treatments at each time. Vine-to-vine variability of IBMP and the correlation of IBMP to malic acid were also evaluated. Cluster exposure reduced accumulation of IBMP at all preveraison time points by 21-44%, but did not increase postveraison degradation. Significant vine-to-vine variability in IBMP content was observed, with the highest level of IBMP in shaded berries in the most vigorous block of vines. Although IBMP concentration by weight decreased significantly due to dilution just prior to color change (veraison), no significant IBMP degradation per berry occurred until after color change (day 70 postbloom). By contrast, malic acid degradation began prior to color change, and malic acid concentrations were not affected by cluster exposure preveraison, but were affected postveraison. A survey of 13 sites in New York state (Seneca Lake) showed that IBMP concentrations at 2 weeks preveraison were highly correlated (R(2) = 0.936, p < 0.0001) to levels at harvest, whereas classic grape maturity indices at harvest were uncorrelated with IBMP at harvest. In summary, light exposure conditions critically influence IBMP accumulation but not IBMP degradation.     

Anatomical, histological, and histochemical changes in grape seeds from Vitis vinifera L. cv Cabernet franc during fruit development

Cabernet franc berries were sampled at five stages from berry set to harvest from an experimental vineyard in mid Loire Valley. Seeds were collected from representative berries in term of stage of development. The evolution of seed was followed both macro- and microscopically. For microscopy analysis, seeds were cut, put in a fixation solution, and cut into thin sections with a microtome. Five staining solutions were used for each seed sample: toluidine blue O, phloroglucinol, periodic acid-Schiff's reagent and naphtol blue black, vanillin, and p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde. Toluidine blue O staining revealed the evolution of tissue structures during grape seed development. We studied the changes in chemical compounds (lignin, polysaccharides, proteins, and tannins) with the other reagents. Seed lignification was achieved at veraison. Proanthocyanidins were localized in epidermis, inner cells of the soft seed coat, and inner cell layer of the inner integument. Finally, the localization of flavan-3-ols was linked with changes in cell walls of the outer integument.     

Effect of soil type on wines produced from Vitis vinifera L. cv. Grenache in commercial vineyards

In recent years, the wine industry has become increasingly interested in the influence of the terroir characteristics on the features of a wine and, in particular, the mechanisms by which a soil influences wine quality. Among published papers on this topic, most merely describe the effect of the soil; few explain it. In this study were conducted a sensory evaluation and phenolic composition and stilbene concentration tests in order to analyze the effects of soil on wine. Significant differences were found in the results of the tests conducted on two vineyards during two consecutive harvests in 2004 and 2005. The results, in line with previous reports, show that the more fertile of the two vineyards, which was also the one with the greatest water-holding capacity, produced wines that presented significantly lower color intensity and shade, as well as lower total phenolic composition and a smaller quantity of hydroxycinnamic compounds. In 2004, these wines presented significantly higher trans-resveratrol content, due to a fungal attack that was favored by the vineyard's soil characteristics. Extreme drought conditions in 2005 had a marked impact on the characteristics of the wines, increasing wavelength measurements significantly and reducing stilbene concentrations. Finally, sensory evaluations revealed significant differences between the wines produced on the two vineyards in both years for five of the seven attributes evaluated. No significant differences were found from one year to the next between the wines produced from the same vineyard, indicating that the attributes of these wines were maintained despite markedly different vintage conditions.