Relative impact of oenological tannins in model solutions and red wine according to phenolic, antioxidant, and sensory traits

Oenological tannins (OETs) are winemaking processing aids used to facilitate stabilization and fining, to increase the antioxidant capacity, and to promote colour stability of grape juice and wine. A wide variability of pure or mix formulates are available for winemaking purposes, including hydrolysable tannins (gallotannins and ellagitannins), proanthocyanidins from grape skins and seeds (prodelphinidins and procyanidins), and from exotic wood (prorobinetinidins and profisetinidins). In this study, seventeen OETs pure and mix formulates were characterized in terms of polyphenolic content and antioxidant capacity in a model wine and in a red wine after one-month storage, as well as aroma, astringency, and bitterness sensory characteristics in water and red wine. Colour-related features were also analysed in the added red wine after one-month storage. For the first time, correlations among the obtained results in the different matrices were investigated to understand the most suitable OETs for winemaking applications. The results showed a great variability among the formulates studied in terms of phenolic content, which was strictly correlated to their antioxidant capacity. Regarding origin, hydrolysable tannins had the highest antioxidant ability, followed by exotic wood formulates. A strong and positive correlation was found in antioxidant capacity of OETs in model wine and red wine after one-month storage, in particular for ellagitannins, which confirmed also their ability to increase pigments polymerization. By contrast, quebracho tannins resulted the bitterest and most astringent when tasted in water (0.4 g/L), although in-mouth and aromatic descriptors of OETs tasted in water were not correlated with the ones of the added red wine. Therefore, the choice of OETs formulate and its optimal dose requires a characterization in terms of polyphenolic content and antioxidant capacity because these properties were well correlated with those of the added wines in a short storage period, whereas the sensory impact at oenological range doses is mainly dependent on wine features.