The Effect of Seed Removal and Extraction Time on the Phenolic Profile of Plavac Mali Wine

The maceration process is one of the indispensable winemaking steps in red wine production that has a marked impact on phenolic compound extraction and can strongly influence the color and gustatory quality. Seed removal can have a substantial impact on the intensity of bitterness and astringency which are mainly influenced by the presence of flavanols. The main aim of this study was to investigate the influence of seed removal and extraction time on the phenolic composition, color parameters, and organoleptic properties of Plavac mali wines produced from the grapes from the Pelješac Peninsula. The achieved results showed that the control wines differ in terms of their highest content of total anthocyanins in both years and total flavonols in one year of investigation, while prolonged maceration without seeds decreases the concentration of phenolic acids as well as that of flavan-3-ols. A prolonged extraction time influenced the color intensity and tonality, moving it towards more yellow pigments. These changes could possibly be explained by the pronounced interaction between phenolic compounds and the formation of the new ones. Interestingly, seed removal probably diminished that change because the potential absorption of the anthocyanins by grape seeds and tannins were excluded. The highest quality was sensory defined in wines produced by prolonged maceration without seeds.