Influence of supplementation with two specific inactivated dry yeast and grape-skin extract on the color and composition of red wine

Abstract

Wines from grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon of the AOC Tarragona were elaborated with supplementation or not of two specific inactivated dry yeasts (Optired®R and Optimum Red®R ; Lallemand Inc.) or with an experimental grape-skin extract. All the wines treated were significantly less astringent than the control wine because both inactivated dry yeast and the skin extract released polysaccharides which probably inhibit interactions between salivary proteins and tannins, and because their presence decrease the proportion of seed tannins and increase the proportion of skin tannins in the final wines.