CHARACTERIZATION OF MERLOT DRY RED WINE COMPOSITION ACCORDING TO THE YEAR OF PRODUCTION.

Knowing the physico-chemical composition of the wine allows it to be authenticated and to detect the frauds that can be encountered in marketed wines. The physico-chemical analysis of wine is the basis for controlling and observing the technological flow of wine production. It is also necessary to evaluate the organoleptic characteristics of wine as there is a close link between the sensory characteristics and the chemical composition of the final product. The raw material and the harvest year significantly influence the final composition of the wine. The temperature and precipitations of the raw material harvest year significantly influence the chemical composition of the wine. Tartaric acid varies between 2.51 ± 0.05 and 2.82 ± 0.04 for red Merlot dry wines. The mean values for malic acid are between 1.01 ± 0.04 and 1.57 ± 0.03. The average citric acid values range from 0.19 ± 0.01 to 0.24 ± 0.01 for red Merlot dry wines. These values correspond to the average values reported by other authors in the literature. The purpose of this study was to characterize the content of tartaric, malic, citric and lactic acid in dry red Merlot wine, as well as sensory and physico-chemical properties according to the year of production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]