Correlations between quality and pigment parameters in young Beaujolais red wines

The commercial qualities of 15 young Beaujolais red wines from the 1974 and 1975 vintages were scored by experienced tasters in the following summers. Measurements were made of a wine colour and the separate contributions to it by the coloured anthocyanins and the polymeric pigments, b total anthocyanins (coloured plus non-coloured) and c total pigments, i.e. total anthocyanins plus total polymers (coloured and non-coloured). All the tasting and analytical data were subjected to regression analysis. Statistically significant correlations were found in both years: a. Between overall quality and the contents of total pigments, total anthocyanins, coloured anthocyanins and the tasters' mean colour scores; b. Flavour and the contents of total pigments and total anthocyanins. Thus the colour of the acidified wine (total pigment) was the most simple indication of flavour and quality in these young wines of the same variety and age. In other respects there were marked differences between the vintages. In 1974 additional significant correlations were found a between overall quality and wine colour, pH and non-coloured anthocyanins, b between flavour and colour scores and coloured anthocyanins, and c between aroma and total pigments, total anthocyanins, coloured and non-coloured anthocyanins and pH. In 1975, flavour correlated with non-coloured anthocyanins and pH. The results demonstrate the desirable effects of anthocyanins on quality.