Study of wine tannin oligomers by on-line liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Thiolysis of a wine tannin fraction yielded trihydroxylated flavanol units (as previously observed in grape skins) in addition to the well-known procyanidins (dihydroxylated units), usually described in the literature for grape condensed tannins. To determine how they occur in condensed tannins, the wine fraction was analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Thus, various series of ion peaks containing a variable number of trihydroxylated units were detected as monocharged ions from dimers up to pentamers. From pentamers, oligomers were found as doubly charged ions. Heptamer species corresponded to the highest mass detected. These results showed that wine condensed tannins consist of, besides procyanidins, mixed tri- and dihydroxylated flavanol units and also of pure trihydroxylated flavanol units. These new data should be taken into account to interpret organoleptic properties of wines.