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81-534: Mourvèdre tends to produce tannic wines that can be high in alcohol. The style of wine produced from the grapes varies greatly according to where it is produced, but according to wine expert Jancis Robinson Mourvèdre wines often have wild game, or earthy notes to them, with soft red fruit flavors. According to wine expert Oz Clarke , young Mourvèdre can come across as faulted due to the reductive, sulfur notes and "farmyard-y" flavors that some wines can exhibit before those flavors mellow with age . The variety can be

162-401: A beneficial effect on vascular health. The study showed that tannins suppressed production of the peptide responsible for hardening arteries. To support their findings, the study also points out that wines from the regions of southwest France and Sardinia are particularly rich in proanthocyanidins, and that these regions also produce populations with longer life spans. Reactions of tannins with

243-490: A difficult grape to grow, preferring "its face in the hot sun and its feet in the water" meaning that it needs very warm weather, a low leaf-to-fruit ratio but adequate water or irrigation to produce intensely flavored fruit that is not overly jammy or herbaceous. The vines' susceptibility to many viticultural hazards such as powdery and downy mildew as well as overly vigorous foliage can present additional problems for vine growers. Most wine historians agree that Mourvèdre

324-408: A few stems for varieties low in tannins (like Pinot noir) in order to increase the tannic extract in the wine. If there is an excess in the amount of tannins in the wine, winemakers can use various fining agents like albumin , casein and gelatin that can bind to tannins molecule and precipitate them out as sediments. As a wine ages, tannins will form long polymerized chains which come across to

405-547: A natural preservative in wine. Un-aged wines with high tannin content can be less palatable than wines with a lower level of tannins. Tannins can be described as leaving a dry and puckered feeling with a "furriness" in the mouth that can be compared to a stewed tea, which is also very tannic. This effect is particularly profound when drinking tannic wines without the benefit of food. Many wine lovers see natural tannins (found particularly in varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and often accentuated by heavy oak barrel aging) as

486-492: A permitted variety include Cassis , Collioure , Corbières , Costières de Nîmes , Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence , Coteaux du Languedoc , Coteaux de Pierrevert , Coteaux Varois , Côtes du Luberon , Coteaux du Tricastin , Côtes de Provence , Côtes du Rhône , Côtes du Rhône Villages , Côtes du Roussillon , Côtes du Roussillon Villages , Côtes du Ventoux , Faugères , Fitou , Palette , Saint-Chinian , Gigondas , Lirac , Minervois and Vacqueyras . In Châteauneuf-du-Pape it

567-522: A phenolic aldehyde most commonly associated with the vanilla notes in wines that have been aged in oak. Trace amounts of vanillin are found naturally in grapes, but they are most prominent in the lignin structure of oak barrels. Newer barrels will impart more vanillin, with the concentration present decreasing with each subsequent usage. Oak barrel will add compounds such as vanillin and hydrolysable tannins ( ellagitannins ). The hydrolyzable tannins present in oak are derived from lignin structures in

648-957: A positive trait—especially as it relates to mouthfeel. The management of tannins in the winemaking process is a key component in the resulting quality. Tannins are found in the skin, stems, and seeds of wine grapes but can also be introduced to the wine through the use of oak barrels and chips or with the addition of tannin powder. The natural tannins found in grapes are known as proanthocyanidins due to their ability to release red anthocyanin pigments when they are heated in an acidic solution. Grape extracts are mainly rich in monomers and small oligomers (mean degree of polymerization < 8). Grape seed extracts contain three monomers (catechin, epicatechin and epicatechin gallate) and procyanidin oligomers. Grape skin extracts contain four monomers (catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin and epigallocatechin), as well as procyanidins and prodelphinidins oligomers. The tannins are formed by enzymes during metabolic processes of

729-430: A sign of potential longevity and ageability . Tannins impart a mouth-puckering astringency when the wine is young but "resolve" (through a chemical process called polymerization ) into delicious and complex elements of "bottle bouquet " when the wine is cellared under appropriate temperature conditions, preferably in the range of a constant 55 to 60 °F (13 to 16 °C). Such wines mellow and improve with age with

810-417: A small amount of anthocyanins in the pulp that produces pigmented juice. There are several types of anthocyanins (as the glycoside ) found in wine grapes which are responsible for the vast range of coloring from ruby red through to dark black found in wine grapes. Ampelographers can use this observation to assist in the identification of different grape varieties . The European vine family Vitis vinifera

891-424: A taster as "softer" and less tannic. This process can be accelerated by exposing the wine to oxygen , which oxidize tannins to quinone-like compounds that are polymerization-prone. The winemaking technique of micro-oxygenation and decanting wine use oxygen to partially mimic the effect of aging on tannins. A study in wine production and consumption has shown that tannins, in the form of proanthocyanidins , have

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972-532: A well established foothold until the phylloxera epidemic of the mid to late 19th century decimated plantings. As the French and other European wine regions recovered from the phylloxera scourge by grafting Vitis vinifera varieties to American rootstock , it was discovered that Mourvèdre vines did not take well to the grafting and many vineyards were replanted with other varieties. Mourvèdre arrived in California in

1053-510: Is Victor Rendu's Ampélographie française of 1857, featuring hand-colored lithographs by Eugene Grobon. Until the Second World War, ampelography had been an art. Then Pierre Galet of the École nationale supérieure agronomique de Montpellier made a systematic assembly of criteria for the identification of vines. The Galet system was based on the shape and contours of the leaves, the characteristics of growing shoots, shoot tips, petioles,

1134-429: Is a popular grape to be used in rosé winemaking. These wines can be made as a dedicated rosé where the skins are allowed only a brief period of skin contact (a few hours or a single day) before they are pressed or as saignée where some of the juice destined for a red Mourvèdre is "bled off" during fermentation creating two separate wines—a darker, more concentrated red wine and the lighter rosé . Mourvèdre

1215-422: Is a varietal effect on the relative composition. In red wine, up to 90% of the wine's phenolic content falls under the classification of flavonoids . These phenols, mainly derived from the stems, seeds and skins are often leached out of the grape during the maceration period of winemaking. The amount of phenols leached is known as extraction . These compounds contribute to the astringency , color and mouthfeel of

1296-479: Is called Monastrell and was the fourth most widely planted red wine grape variety with 43,049 hectares (106,380 acres) in 2015. Like many other Spanish varieties, its numbers have been declining in recent years (in 1996 there was over 100,000 ha/250,000 of the vine planted in Spain) as growers pull up older plantings and replant them with popular international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay . However,

1377-739: Is characterized by anthocyanins that are composed of only one molecule of glucose while non- vinifera vines such as hybrids and the American Vitis labrusca will have anthocyanins with two molecules. This phenomenon is due to a double mutation in the anthocyanin 5-O-glucosyltransferase gene of V. vinifera . In the mid-20th century, French ampelographers used this knowledge to test the various vine varieties throughout France to identify which vineyards still contained non- vinifera plantings. Red-berried Pinot grape varieties are also known to not synthesize para-coumaroylated or acetylated anthocyanins as other varieties do. The color variation in

1458-566: Is intermediate between that in red and white wines. In winemaking , the process of maceration or "skin contact" is used to increase the concentration of phenols in wine. Phenolic acids are found in the pulp or juice of the wine and can be commonly found in white wines which usually do not go through a maceration period. The process of oak aging can also introduce phenolic compounds into wine, most notably vanillin which adds vanilla aroma to wines. Most wine phenols are classified as secondary metabolites and were not thought to be active in

1539-590: Is likely to be Spanish in origin, though its exact history is difficult to pinpoint. The variety was probably introduced to Valencia by the Phoenicians around 500 BC. The French -adapted name Mourvèdre probably came from Murviedro ( Morvedre in Valencian , nowadays Sagunt ) near Valencia while the name Mataro is thought to have come from Mataró , Catalonia near the modern-day city of Barcelona . Despite this close association with Murviedro and Mataró,

1620-533: Is not taken at the winery. While in Bandol, it is common to ferment Mourvèdre with the stems, the grapes usually go through a crusher/destemmer in New World regions such as a California due to the harsher, green tannins that are more typical of the stems in those regions. While the wine can be stored in oak barrels, it often does not absorb oak flavors as well as other varieties (such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) so it

1701-552: Is often stored in neutral oak or large format barrels. In many regions of the world, Mourvèdre is often blended with other varieties such as Grenache and Syrah in the "GSM" blends of Rhône, Australia and the United States. In these blends, Mourvèdre often provides color, fruit and some tannic structure to complement the fruity Grenache and elegant Syrah. In Provence and Rhône it also sometimes blended with Cinsault and Carignan as part of both red table wines and rosé . In Australia,

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1782-590: Is one of the 18 permitted varieties in the red wine but is often a secondary component behind Grenache and Syrah. The exceptions are notable blends from producers such as Château de Beaucastel which often has Mourvèdre account for more than a third of the blend. As of 2009, Mourvèdre accounted for 6.6% (213 ha) of all Châteauneuf-du-Pape plantings. In the United States, Mourvèdre is found primarily in California and Washington State with some limited plantings in Arizona, Missouri, New Mexico , Oregon , Texas and Virginia . In

1863-420: Is the field of botany concerned with the identification and classification of grapevines, Vitis spp. Traditionally this has been done by comparing the shape and colour of the vine leaves and grape berries; more recently the study of vines has been revolutionised by DNA fingerprinting. The grape vine is an extremely variable species and some varieties , such as Pinot , mutate particularly frequently. At

1944-611: Is the name used in France . Worldwide, there are 95 other names, including Mataro, which is used in Portugal and parts of the New World ; and Monastrell, which is used in Spain . In English-speaking wine producing areas, Mourvèdre is most commonly used; it is the official name used by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau . Despite the similarities of its synonyms, Mourvèdre has no relation to

2025-694: The Ampelografia Italiana of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture. The book collects 551 color plates of grapes from all over the world, with texts in Italian and English, which describe the morphological and agricultural characteristics of each vine variety, as well as their synonyms and historical curiosities. Carole Meredith at the University of California, Davis , pioneered the use of genetic fingerprinting for vine identification. Famous successes with

2106-556: The Balearic Islands , Bullas , Catalunya , Cariñena , Costers del Segre , Manchuela , Penedès and Ribera del Guadiana . Monastrell is also permitted in the sparkling wine Cava though it is rarely used. In France, Mourvèdre doesn't grow much farther north than the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC in the southern Rhône; and even there it has some trouble ripening in cooler vintages . It tends to ripen most consistently in

2187-800: The Lombardy wine grape of the same name with the latter being an offspring of the Piedmontese wine grape Nebbiolo . Phenolic content in wine#tannins Phenolic compounds— natural phenol and polyphenols —occur naturally in wine . These include a large group of several hundred chemical compounds that affect the taste , color and mouthfeel of wine. These compounds include phenolic acids , stilbenoids , flavonols , dihydroflavonols , anthocyanins , flavanol monomers ( catechins ) and flavanol polymers ( proanthocyanidins ). This large group of natural phenols can be broadly separated into two categories, flavonoids and non-flavonoids. Flavonoids include

2268-643: The Paso Robles AVA of California, it is often one of the last varieties to be harvested sometimes hanging onto the vine until early November. Mourvèdre produces medium-size, compact bunches that are usually conical in shape with a small wing cluster that may be discarded during green harvesting . The leaves often have truncate cuneiform "wedge" shape. Since World War II , newer clones and better rootstock have been developed that have allowed Mourvèdre vines to be grafted more easily. Today many plantings of Mourvèdre are to 110R and 41B rootstocks. In Spain, Mourvèdre

2349-608: The Red Mountain AVA . In Washington, the grape is used in both varietal and Rhone-style blends where it provides a medium body structure with cherry fruit flavors as well smokey, spicy and gamy notes. In California, Mourvèdre reached the United States in the 1860s as part of the Pellier collection and was likely first planted in Santa Clara County . The variety, known as Mataro, was widely planted in anonymous field blends that

2430-744: The South Australia wine region of the Barossa Valley by Lutheran immigrants from the Silesia Province in Prussia . From there it was spread by English immigrants to the McLaren Vale region south of Adelaide . Some of the oldest continually producing vines of Mourvèdre are in the New South Wales wine region of Riverina or South Australian wine region of Riverland . Turkey Flat Vineyards in

2511-462: The anthocyanins and tannins which contribute to the color and mouthfeel of the wine. The non-flavonoids include the stilbenoids such as resveratrol and phenolic acids such as benzoic , caffeic and cinnamic acids. The natural phenols are not evenly distributed within the grape. Phenolic acids are largely present in the pulp, anthocyanins and stilbenoids in the skin, and other phenols ( catechins , proanthocyanidins and flavonols ) in

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2592-405: The plant kingdom , being frequently responsible for the blue to red colors found in flowers , fruits and leaves . In wine grapes, they develop during the stage of veraison , when the skin of red wine grapes changes color from green to red to black. As the sugars in the grape increase during ripening so does the concentration of anthocyanins. An issue associated with climate change has been

2673-421: The tactile sensation of astringency and sense of bitterness that they can leave in the mouth. This is due to the tendency of tannins to react with proteins , such as the ones found in saliva . In food and wine pairing , foods that are high in proteins (such as red meat ) are often paired with tannic wines to minimize the astringency of tannins. However, many wine drinkers find the perception of tannins to be

2754-602: The 1860s as part of the Pellier collection . The variety, known as Mataro, was used primarily for bulk produced jug wines . In the 1980s and 90s, interest in Mourvèdre as a premium grape variety picked up as the Rhone Rangers began seeking out old-vine plantings of the variety in the eastern part of Contra Costa County . In the 1990s, critically acclaimed bottlings from Bonny Doon Vineyard and Cline Cellars Winery promoted demand in

2835-560: The Barossa Valley was one of the forerunners of producing Mourvèdre as a single varietal wine with its first vintage in 2005. According to Pierre Galet, there are some plantings of Mourvèdre in Azerbaijan under a variety of synonyms that have not all been fully identified. In South Africa , Rhone-style producers have also begun working with the variety. The small, thick-skin berries of Mourvèdre are high in phenolic compounds that have

2916-411: The French name Mourvèdre. While the grape has a long history of being used for generic cask wines and fortified wine, it has recently become more popular in highly acclaimed GSM blends with Grenache and Syrah. Like many grape varieties, Mourvèdre was first introduced to Australia as part of James Busby 's collection of cuttings from his European travels in the 1830s. There it was quickly established in

2997-594: The Pinot family having high levels while the Cabernet family has lower levels of resveratrol. In the late 20th century interest in the possible health benefits of resveratrol in wine was spurred by discussion of the French paradox involving the health of wine drinkers in France. Piceatannol is also present in grape from where it can be extracted and found in red wine. Vanillin is

3078-542: The Spanish wine grape Graciano which is also known as Morrastel in France. At one point, the Cognac grape Balzac blanc was thought to be a color mutation of Mourvèdre due to the similarities in synonyms with Mourvèdre also being known as Balzac noir. However, DNA analysis at the turn of the 21st century showed that the two varieties had no relation. Despite having the synonym Rossola nera , Mourvèdre has no known relationship to

3159-575: The US, the style of Mourvèdre tends to be less tannic than Old World examples such as Bandols. In Washington State, the grape was first planted at Red Willow Vineyard in the Yakima Valley AVA in 1983. The 1990s and 2000s saw an increase of plantings of the variety, most notably at Alder Ridge Vineyard and Destiny Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA and Ciel du Cheval Vineyard in

3240-415: The accumulation of sugars within the grape accelerating rapidly and outpacing the accumulation of anthocyanins. This leaves viticulturists with the choice of harvesting grapes with too high sugar content or with too low anthocyanin content. In most grapes anthocyanins are found only in the outer cell layers of the skin, leaving the grape juice inside virtually colorless. Therefore, to get color pigmentation in

3321-458: The amount of bright red pigments. Wines with a higher pH will have a higher concentration of blue and colorless pigments. As the wine ages , anthocyanins will react with other acids and compounds in wines such as tannins, pyruvic acid and acetaldehyde which will change the color of the wine, causing it to develop more "brick red" hues. These molecules will link up to create polymers that eventually exceed their solubility and become sediment at

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3402-436: The bottom of wine bottles. Pyranoanthocyanins are chemical compounds formed in red wines by yeast during fermentation processes or during controlled oxygenation processes during the aging of wine . Tannins refer to the diverse group of chemical compounds in wine that can affect the color, aging ability and texture of the wine. While tannins cannot be smelled or tasted, they can be perceived during wine tasting by

3483-470: The concentration of flavonols in the grape berries increases as they are exposed to sunlight. Wine grapes facing too much sun exposure can see an accelerated ripening period, leading to a lessened ability for the synthesis of flavonols. Some viticulturalists will use measurement of flavonols such as quercetin as an indication of a vineyard's sun exposure and the effectiveness of canopy management techniques. Anthocyanins are phenolic compounds found throughout

3564-551: The construction of various tannins and contribute to the perception of bitterness in wine. They are found in highest concentrations in grape seeds but are also in the skin and stems. Catechins play a role in the microbial defense of the grape berry, being produced in higher concentrations by the grape vines when it is being attacked by grape diseases such as downy mildew . Because of that grape vines in cool, damp climates produce catechins at high levels than vines in dry, hot climates. Together with anthocyanins and tannins they increase

3645-443: The coumarins aesculetin and scopoletin ; the ellagitannins are roburins A and E , grandinin , vescalagin and castalagin . Guaiacol is one of the molecules responsible for the cork taint wine fault. Flash release is a technique used in wine pressing . The technique allows for a better extraction of phenolic compounds. The exposure of wine to oxygen in limited quantities affects phenolic content. Depending on

3726-408: The finished red wine is partly derived from the ionization of anthocyanin pigments caused by the acidity of the wine. In this case, the three types of anthocyanin pigments are red, blue and colorless with the concentration of those various pigments dictating the color of the wine. A wine with low pH (and such greater acidity) will have a higher occurrence of ionized anthocyanins which will increase

3807-570: The grape became known in Spain as Monastrell for reasons that are still unknown though Oz Clarke speculates that a "neutral" name may have been chosen so as not to offend the local pride of both regions. Mourvèdre had a well-established presence in Roussillon region of France by at least the 16th century when still part of Spain (until 1659) where it spread eastwards towards Provence and the Rhone . There it had

3888-676: The grape can adapt to a variety of vineyard soil types , the most ideal sites are very warm, south facing (Northern hemisphere) slopes with shallow, clay soils that can retain the necessary moisture to keep the vines "feet" wet without letting it grow its foliage too vigorously. In addition to a warm climate, Mourvèdre also does best in a dry climate with sufficient wind to protect it from the viticultural hazards of powdery mildew and downy mildew. The grape clusters of Mourvèdre are relatively compact, enhancing its susceptibility to mildew, with small thick-skinned berries that are high in both color and flavor phenolics, particularly tannins . Even though

3969-603: The grapevine. The amount of tannins found naturally in grapes varies depending on the variety with Cabernet Sauvignon , Nebbiolo , Syrah and Tannat being 4 of the most tannic grape varieties. The reaction of tannins and anthocyanins with the phenolic compound catechins creates another class of tannins known as pigmented tannins which influence the color of red wine. Commercial preparations of tannins, known as enological tannins , made from oak wood , grape seed and skin, plant gall , chestnut , quebracho , gambier and myrobalan fruits, can be added at different stages of

4050-459: The heels of some critically acclaimed varietal and Rhone-style blends (as well as the introduction of better quality clones ) featuring Mourvèdre, plantings in California rose slightly from 260 ha (650 acres) at the turn of the 21st century to 900 acres in 2010. There are around 12 square kilometres of Mourvèdre in Australia, where it is also known as Mataro, though more producers have begun adopting

4131-588: The main flavonol is on average quercetin , followed by myricetin , kaempferol , laricitrin , isorhamnetin , and syringetin . In white grapes, the main flavonol is quercetin, followed by kaempferol and isorhamnetin. The delphinidin-like flavonols myricetin, laricitrin, and syringetin are missing in all white varieties, indicating that the enzyme flavonoid 3',5'-hydroxylase is not expressed in white grape varieties. Myricetin , laricitrin and syringetin , flavonols which are present in red grape varieties only, can be found in red wine. Hydroxycinnamic acids are

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4212-771: The methods of production, wine type, grape varieties, ageing processes, the following phenolics can be found in wine. The list, sorted in alphabetical order of common names, is not exhaustive. Polyphenol compounds may interact with volatiles and contribute to the aromas in wine. Although wine polyphenols are speculated to provide antioxidant or other benefits, there is little evidence that wine polyphenols actually have any effect in humans. Limited preliminary research indicates that wine polyphenols may decrease platelet aggregation , enhance fibrinolysis , and increase HDL cholesterol , but high-quality clinical trials have not confirmed such effects, as of 2017. Ampelography Ampelography ( ἄμπελος , "vine" + γράφος, "writing")

4293-473: The modification in the color. Anthocyanins react with catechins, proanthocyanidins and other wine components during wine aging to form new polymeric pigments resulting in a modification of the wine color and a lower astringency . Average total polyphenol content measured by the Folin method is 216 mg/100 ml for red wine and 32 mg/100 ml for white wine. The content of phenols in rosé wine (82 mg/100 ml)

4374-415: The most important group of nonflavonoid phenols in wine. The four most abundant ones are the tartaric acid esters trans -caftaric , cis - and trans - coutaric , and trans - fertaric acids . In wine they are present also in the free form ( trans - caffeic , trans - p-coumaric , and trans - ferulic acids ). V. vinifera also produces stilbenoids . Resveratrol is found in highest concentration in

4455-543: The parent to the esteemed grape Mavrud, or that at least Mavrud is a clone of Mourvèdre, imported into Bulgaria by the Romans. According to ampelographer Pierre Galet Mourvèdre thrives in warm climates as the variety has a tendency to both bud and ripen very late. While the variety can recover well from late spring frost due to the late budding, it can be very temperature sensitive throughout its growing season with even low winter temperatures affecting its dormancy . Though

4536-429: The phenolic compound anthocyanidins creates another class of tannins known as pigmented tannins which influences the color of red wine. Commercial preparations of tannins, known as enological tannins , made from oak wood , grape seed and skin, plant gall , chestnut , quebracho , gambier and myrobalan fruits, can be added at different stages of the wine production to improve color durability. Tannins are

4617-403: The phenols in white wine will essentially originate from the pulp, and these will be the phenolic acids together with lower amounts of catechins and stilbenes . Red wines will also have the phenols found in white wines. Wine simple phenols are further transformed during wine aging into complex molecules formed notably by the condensation of proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins, which explains

4698-428: The potential to produce a deeply colored, very tannic wine with significant alcohol levels if harvested at high sugar levels. However, the variety is rarely harvested at sugar levels below 13% alcohol (approx 23 Brix) because the flavors at those lower levels are often very weak and herbaceous. In winemaking, wines made from Mourvèdre are prone to both oxidation and reductive flavors (such as hydrogen sulfide ) if care

4779-420: The primary metabolism and function of the grapevine. However, there is evidence that in some plants flavonoids play a role as endogenous regulators of auxin transport. They are water-soluble and are usually secreted into the vacuole of the grapevine as glycosides . Vitis vinifera , the common grape vine, from which European style wines are made the world over, produces many phenolic compounds. There

4860-508: The same time, the wine and table grape industries have been important since ancient times, so large sums of money can depend on the correct identification of different varieties and clones of grapevines. The science of ampelography began seriously in the 19th century, when it became important to understand more about the different species of vine, as they had very different resistance to disease and pests such as phylloxera . Many vine identification books were published at this time, one of which

4941-451: The sex of the flowers, the shape of the grape clusters and the colour, size and pips of the grapes themselves. The grapes are less affected by environmental factors than the leaves and the shoots, but are obviously not around for as long. He even included grape flavour as a criterion, but this is rather subjective. Galet then published the definitive book, Ampélographie pratique , in 1952, featuring 9,600 types of vine. Ampélographie pratique

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5022-469: The skin and the seeds. During the growth cycle of the grapevine , sunlight will increase the concentration of phenolics in the grape berries, their development being an important component of canopy management . The proportion of the different phenols in any one wine will therefore vary according to the type of vinification . Red wine will be richer in phenols abundant in the skin and seeds, such as anthocyanin , proanthocyanidins and flavonols , whereas

5103-854: The skins of wine grapes. The accumulation in ripe berries of different concentrations of both bound and free resveratrols depends on the maturity level and is highly variable according to the genotype. Both red and white wine grape varieties contain resveratrol, but more frequent skin contact and maceration leads to red wines normally having ten times more resveratrol than white wines. Resveratrol produced by grape vines provides defense against microbes, and production can be further artificially stimulated by ultraviolet radiation . Grapevines in cool, damp regions with higher risk of grape diseases, such as Bordeaux and Burgundy , tend to produce grapes with higher levels of resveratrol than warmer, drier wine regions such as California and Australia . Different grape varieties tend to have differing levels, with Muscadines and

5184-433: The stability of a wines color-meaning that a wine will be able to maintain its coloring for a longer period of time. The amount of catechins present varies among grape varieties with varietals like Pinot noir having high concentrations while Merlot and especially Syrah have very low levels. As an antioxidant, there are some studies into the health benefits of moderate consumption of wines high in catechins. In red grapes,

5265-519: The tannic "backbone" helping the wine survive for as long as 40 years or more. In many regions (such as in Bordeaux ), tannic grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon are blended with lower-tannin grapes such as Merlot or Cabernet Franc , diluting the tannic characteristics. White wines and wines that are vinified to be drunk young (for examples, see nouveau wines ) typically have lower tannin levels. Flavan-3-ols (catechins) are flavonoids that contribute to

5346-425: The technique include proving the identity of Zinfandel , Primitivo, and Crljenak Kaštelanski, and identifying the parents of Sangiovese as Ciliegiolo and Calabrese Montenuovo. Such exercises are giving valuable insight into historical patterns of trade and migration. DNA fingerprinting uses segments of DNA that do not affect the look or taste of the grapes. More recent work has identified the genes responsible for

5427-421: The variety and by the mid-2000s, plantings of Mourvèdre in California had risen to 260 ha (650 acres). In Australia, the variety (known there as Mataro) has had a long history in the country with plantings dating back to the mid-19th century. In the 1980s, many of these old vine plantings were uprooted in a government sponsored vine pulling scheme but some still survive and are producing today. While historically

5508-464: The variety can be grown under many different kinds of vine training systems . The harvest window for the grape tends to be very short once it reaches peak ripeness , with acidity rapidly falling and the grapes soon desiccating and developing " prune -y" flavors. One advantage of the thick skins is that Mourvèdre can withstand late harvest rains without the berries swelling and bursting like thinner skin varieties such as Grenache. In regions such as

5589-686: The variety for most of the 20th century, there were less than 900 ha in 1968, mostly in the southern Rhône and the Bandol AOC of Provence. But the spark of interest and international investment in the Languedoc saw planting sharply increase and by 2000 there were over 7,600 ha of Mourvèdre planted throughout Southern France. While Bandol is the AOC region that most prominently features Mourvèdre (by law all red Bandols must contain at least 50% Mourvèdre), other Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC)s that have Mourvèdre as

5670-564: The variety is sometimes used in fortified port-style wines. According to wine expert Jancis Robinson, in favorable vintages Mourvèdre can produce highly perfumed wines with intense fruit flavors and notes of blackberries and gamey or meaty flavors. Oz Clarke notes that some examples of Mourvèdre may come across as faulted in their youth with "farmyard-y" and strong herbal flavors. As the wine ages, more earthy tertiary aromas may develop before becoming more leather and gingerbread aroma notes. In both Old and New World wine regions, Mourvèdre

5751-431: The variety ripens late, it has the potential to ripen to high Brix sugar levels which can translate into a high alcohol level during fermentation . The vine can also be very vigorous, producing abundant foliage that can shade the grape clusters, affecting canopy management decisions for growers. In Australia and California, many of the oldest plantings of Mourvèdre are bush trained as the vines grows well vertically but

5832-540: The variety still has a strong hold in eastern Spain where it is widely planted in several Spanish wine regions around Murcia and the Valencian Community . Under Spanish wine law , Monastrell is one of the primary red wine grape varieties in the DOPs of Jumilla , Yecla , Valencia , Almansa , and Alicante . Other Spanish DOPs where Monastrell is a permitted variety include Binissalem-Mallorca and Plà i Llevant in

5913-447: The variety was used mainly as an anonymous blending grape in fortified wines, the variety saw a rise in interest in the 1990s as producers started receiving acclaim for GSM (Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre) blends (many from the surviving, low yield old vine plantings). With a slight increase in planting there were more than 1000 ha of Mataro in Australia by the mid-2000s. It has been put forward by Ampelographists that Mourvèdre may be

5994-596: The vines, is being used along with sugar levels as a determination of when to harvest . The idea is that "riper" tannins will taste softer but still impart some of the texture components found favorable in wine. In winemaking, the amount of the time that the must spends in contact with the grape skins, stems and seeds will influence the amount of tannins that are present in the wine with wines subjected to longer maceration period having more tannin extract. Following harvest, stems are normally picked out and discarded prior to fermentation but some winemakers may intentionally leave in

6075-568: The warmer Provençal region of Bandol AOC along the Mediterranean coast where the growing season is often 5 °C warmer. While plantings have been declining in Spain, they have been increasing in France, particularly in the Languedoc-Roussillon region where the grape variety has seen growing popularity as both a varietal wine and as a blending component. After the phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th century and with declining interest in

6156-406: The wine production to improve color durability. The tannins derived from oak influence are known as "hydrolysable tannins" being created from the ellagic and gallic acid found in the wood. In the vineyards, there is also a growing distinction being made between "ripe" and "unripe" tannins present in the grape. This " physiological ripeness ", which is roughly determined by tasting the grapes off

6237-411: The wine, the fermenting must needs to be in contact with the grape skins in order for the anthocyanins to be extracted. Hence, white wine can be made from red wine grapes in the same way that many white sparkling wines are made from the red wine grapes of Pinot noir and Pinot Meunier . The exception to this is the small class of grapes known as teinturiers , such as Alicante Bouschet , which have

6318-422: The wine. In white wines the number of flavonoids is reduced due to the lesser contact with the skins that they receive during winemaking. There is on-going study into the health benefits of wine derived from the antioxidant and chemopreventive properties of flavonoids. Within the flavonoid category is a subcategory known as flavonols , which includes the yellow pigment - quercetin . Like other flavonoids,

6399-510: The wood. They help protect the wine from oxidation and reduction . 4-Ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol are produced during ageing of red wine in oak barrels that are infected by brettanomyces . Low molecular weight polyphenols, as well as ellagitannins, are susceptible to be extracted from cork stoppers into the wine. The identified polyphenols are gallic, protocatechuic , vanillic , caffeic, ferulic , and ellagic acids; protocatechuic , vanillic , coniferyl , and sinapic aldehydes;

6480-483: Was translated into English by Lucie Morton, published in 1979 and updated in 2000. In 2012, Italian publisher L'Artistica Editrice published Illustrated Historical Universal Ampelography , a three volume set which contains the most important books edited in France and Italy between 1800 and 1900: the Ampélographie of Pierre Viala and Victor Vermorel, the grapes section of Pomona Italiana by Count Giorgio Gallesio and

6561-423: Was used primarily for bulk produced jug wines. From the middle of the 20th century, it saw its plantings rapidly decline from more than 2700 acres in 1968 to less than a third of that by the 2000s. Its numbers would have declined more drastically had the variety not captured the interest of Rhone Rangers in the 1980s and 90s, who began seeking out old-vine plantings of the variety in vineyards Contra Costa County. On

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