Assessment of colour and polyphenols dynamics during fermentation of Cabernet Sauvignon wine grapes as affected by yeast strains Sharma A. K., Singh P. N., Sawant S. D., Oulkar D. P. National Research Centre for Grapes, Manjri Farm PO, Solapur Road, Pune-412 307 (Maharashtra) Email: sharmadrajay@gmail.com Abstract Vinification is complex process. In case of red wine making it is based on alcoholic fermentation and maceration, i.e. dissolving of components present in grape must and in solid particles of grapes. The colour of young red wine is largely determined by its phenolic composition, particularly the red coloured monomeric anthocyanins, which are extracted from the grapes into the wine during maceration and fermentation on skins. Changes in colour and polyphenols during vinification of Cabernet Sauvignon were affected by yeast strains. Considering the effects of yeast strains during fermentation of wine grapes present investigation was conducted. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were fermented with locally identified yeast strains RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, a commercial culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae i.e. Premier Cuvee and spontaneous (natural). The strains RS-2 and RS-3 belong to Pichia kudriavzevii. Dynamics of phenolics, anthocyanins and colour intensity was significantly affected by yeast strains. The phenolic content was raised upto 3rd day after inoculation in all strains except spontaneous fermentation, where the value was maximum on 4th day. Gradual decrease in monomeric anthocyanin is recorded in case of all strains. But the colour intensity increases from initial 6.25 to average level of 16 in all the strains. Every yeast strain has peculiar effect on dynamics of colour and colour contributing substances viz.; phenolics and anthocyanins during fermentation of Cabernet Sauvignon. Top Keywords Anthocyanins, Cabernet Sauvignon, Colour intensity, Fermentation, Phenolics, Yeast strains. Top |