Abstract

The current market, in large part, demands the availability of structured wines with intense coloration, reason why winemakers constantly evaluated different technological variants designed to satisfy the requirements of the consumer. In response to this need, the incidence of saignee (Ti, 10%; 12, 20%; 13, 30%) on phenolic composition of Malbec wines from Mendoza in two consecutive seasons was studied. In 2010, it was observed that only 13 significantly increased the content of anthocyanins in wines with respect to the control, without appreciating a significant effect on the rest of the phenolic parameters evaluated. As for those individual compounds determined by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS, the three treatments favored the extraction of different anthocyanic derivatives and flavonols, being 13 the most significant. In 2011, there was a similar trend in addition to a significant effect on the colour intensity, total phenols, proanthocyanidins, hydroxybenzoic acids, flavanols, flavonols and dihidroflavonoles. In contrast, the triangular test showed the impossibility of differentiating wines studied by a trained panel of judges. Comparing both seasons was demonstrated the influence of the "year" factor on the composition of wines made with and without application of saignee. In conclusion, this oenological practice may be a useful tool to increase the phenolic quality of Malbec wines and improve their aging potential.