THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT STORAGE CONDITIONS ON ANTHOCYANIN PROFILE OF MERLOT RED WINES

Grape variety and health, soil and climate, agricultural techniques used, winemaking processes, storage time and temperature are the most important agents in the phenolic content of red wine. In this study, the effects of storage temperature and time on the distribution of anthocyanin compounds, and the total monomeric anthocyanin (TMA) content of Merlot wines were investigated at the beginning of storage and the following quarterly periods. The amount and distribution of delphinidin 3-glucoside, pelargonin 3-glucoside, malvidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside, and peonidin 3-glucoside anthocyanins in wine samples were defined quantitatively by modifying HPLC method. When the change in TMA content in wines was evaluated, it was determined that there was a decrease of 13.77% at 4-5 °C, 24.28% at 8-10 °C, 43.93% at 12-14 °C, and 66.29% at 18-20 °C compared to the values before storage at the last of 24 months of storage.