Spectroscopic and theoretical investigations of phenolic acids in white wines

Model solutions of white wines containing phenolic acids have been investigated by means of UV-vis, laser induced fluorescence and Raman spectroscopic techniques. In order to interpret the spectra, density functional theory calculations of phenolic acids have been performed. This work demonstrates that only hydroxynamic acids are in resonance with a laser excitation line with 325nm wavelength and are therefore at the origin of the strong enhancement of the Raman light scattering. Real white wines also display such resonance Raman scattering so that their content in hydroxycinnamic acids may be quite precisely determined. The analysis of the Raman spectrum of a real dry white wine reveals qualitatively the preponderance in its composition of p-coumaric and caftaric acids.