Role of Hydroxycinnamic Acids and Flavanols in the Oxidation and Browning of White Wines

A study of the changes in phenolic compounds during the oxidation of eight white wines reveals that the content of hydroxycinnamic acids and esters decreases significantly during the process; however, the decrease is seemingly unrelated to the extent of browning of the wine. On the other hand, the flavanol contents of the wines are found to be correlated with the degree of browning at the end of the oxidation process. The behaviors of both types of phenol compound at the two temperatures studied are quite similar.