Long-term study on phenolic compounds in Austrian red and white wine varieties from 20 vintages

Abstract

Phenolic compounds have a significant influence on the quality, taste, and aging potential of wines. The aim of this study was to conduct a long-term investigation of autochthonous Austrian red and white wine varieties based on phenolic compounds. The data set comprised 437 red wines from six grape varieties and 792 white wines from eight grape varieties from the 2002 to 2023 vintages, which were vinified as part of the Austrian wine database. All wines were produced under standardized conditions. Phenolic compounds were determined using HPLC-DAD. Statistical analysis included variance, discriminant, and principal component analysis, with the factors of grape variety, vintage, and origin. For both red and white wines, the grape variety proved to be the dominant factor influencing the phenolic profile, followed by vintage and location. Red wines showed a more pronounced differentiation between grape varieties, mainly due to flavan-3-ols and anthocyanins. The Blauer Wildbacher variety also showed increased concentrations of several flavanols. The Blaufränkisch variety showed significant location-related effects, indicating terroir sensitivity. This location-related discrimination based on phenolic compounds was not observed in any other variety. A comparison of the discriminant models showed that wines made from the Zweigelt grape variety had a higher correct classification rate by vintage compared to the other varieties. The phenolic composition of the white wines, on the other hand, was predominantly characterized by hydroxycinnamic acid esters. The Rheinriesling variety showed significantly increased concentrations of selected compounds across all vintages and locations. Over the study period, both red and white wines showed a steady increase in certain phenolic compounds, with differences in the individual parameters. While the increase in red wines was mainly observed in flavan- and tannin-associated compounds, in white wines it was primarily caused by hydroxycinnamic acid esters. Overall, the results highlight both fundamental differences and common trends in the phenolic profiles of red and white wines and provide a basis for evaluating varietal and vintage-related quality characteristics under long-term conditions.

References

Ihl, N.; Philipp, C.; Eder, R. (2026). Profiling of Six Austrian Red Wine Varieties from 20 Vintages Based on Phenolic Compounds. ACS Food Sci. Tech., ASAP. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.5c00715