Phenolic composition, colour, antioxidant activity and mineral profile of Cabernet Sauvignon wines

Phenolic compounds and mineral content constitute important quality parameters of wines. It is probably during ageing, that the greatest number of polymerisation and condensation reactions occurs, notably modifying the composition of the wine. The aim of this study was to characterise Cabernet Sauvignon wines of different vintages from two regions in Santa Catarina State, Brazil. It was not possible to clearly observe an evolution of the phenolic content and colour parameters in the different vintages of the wines. The ABTS method gave higher antioxidant value than DPPH, which showed higher correlation with total polyphenols. Principal components analysis showed differences between the wines, especially in relation to vintage. Also, the study allowed a clear separation of wines in relation to place of vineyards in terms of mineral composition.