Condensed tannins (CTs), polymers of flavan-3-ols, are a class of polyphenolic compounds that play a significant role in the organoleptic qualities of red wines, particularly influencing color, astringency and bitterness. These properties are highly dependent on size and structure of these compounds.
Correlations between vineyard site and wine have, historically, been limited due to lack of uniformity in scion and rootstock clone and lack of controlled pilot-scale winemaking conditions, particularly temperature
In response to increasing societal demands for environmentally-friendly viticulture, winegrowers are adapting their cultivation techniques, particularly by reducing the use of herbicides.
The chemistry of wine is notably complex and is modified by ageing of the bottles. The composition of wines is the result of vine production (under the influence of vintage, climate and soils); yeast production (under the influence of juice composition and fermentation management); lactic bacteria production (under the influence of young wine composition and malolactic fermentation management); and of the ageing process either in vats, barrels or bottles or both. The composition is linked to the quality perceived by consumers but also to their origin, sometimes associated to the “terroir” concept.
