Survey of the phenolic content and antioxidant properties of wines from five regions of China according to variety and vintage

Abstract

Winemaking is an important agricultural economic activity worldwide, and variation in terroir gives birth to unique wines with different phenolic properties that reveal characteristics of each region, variety and vintage. We have comprehensively analyzed the phenolic components and antioxidant properties of 108 Chinese wines from five regions and four varieties produced from 2003 to 2019 by the LC-IM-QTOF-MS assay and multivariate statistical analysis. The results showed that the varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Gernischt, and Merlot could be traced in Chinese red wines through the concentration of tannins. PCA showed that the first two principal components of the monomeric phenols explained 97.95% of the variance, and three regression variables were identified: (+)-catechin (CA), (−)-epicatechin (EC), and gallic acid (GA). CA and EC proved to be more stable than GA in different vintages. A cluster heatmap analysis showed that regional origin was significantly correlated with the phenolic content related to the antioxidant properties of the wine. The result reveals the similarities and differences in Chinese wines according to their regional origin, variety, and vintage.