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Updated: Aug 10, 2026

The Terroir Concept Interpreted through Grape Berry Metabolomics and Transcriptomics
Published on: October 5, 2016
Carotenoid, chlorophyll, and chlorophyll-derived compounds in grapes and port wines
Maria Manuela Mendes-Pinto1, António César Silva Ferreira, Catherine Caris-Veyrat
1Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal.
Abstract:
Carotenoids and chlorophyll-derived compounds in grapes and Port wines were investigated by HPLC-DAD and HPLC-DAD-MS (ESP+) analysis. A total of 13 carotenoid and chlorophyll-derived compounds are formally reported in grapes, 3 are identified for the first time, pheophytins a and b and (13Z)-beta-carotene, and 3 others remain unknown. In Port wines 19 compounds with carotenoid or chlorophyll-like structures are present, 8 still unidentified. The young wines showed higher total carotenoid content and chlorophyll-like compounds compared to aged Ports, with lutein and beta-carotene as major carotenoids. Among samples analyzed of monovarietal Vitis vinifera L. cultivar wines produced with the five most important Douro varieties, Tinta Roriz contained the highest levels of carotenoids and Touriga Franca the lowest. The forced-aging study indicated that lutein was more sensitive to temperature than beta-carotene. Additionally, aged wines showed higher ratios of beta-carotene/lutein concentrations compared to new Ports. Rates of degradation of chlorophyll derivative compounds were higher than those for carotene and lutein.
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