Sauvignon maceration

To verify the part played by yeasts in color fixation (48), we prepared a synthetic alcoholic mixture (10% alcohol, 5 grams/liter tartaric acid adjusted to a pH of 3.0 with concentrated sodium hydroxide) and added a solution of macerated Cabernet Sauvignon skins. We studied the... 

Me Mahon, H. M., Zoecklein, B. W., Jasinski, (1999). The effects of prefermentation maceration temperature and percent alcohol (v/v) at press on the concentration of Cabernet Sauvignon grape glycosides and glycoside fractions. Am. J. Enol. Vitic., 50, 385-390. 

Some researchers have reported that there is no increase of non-flavonoid phenolics with increasing skin contact time (Sims and Bates, 1994), while others have reported the opposite (Kovac et al., 1992). In this research. Cabernet Sauvignon showed no significantly increases in caftaric acid concentration with increasing skin contact time. However, in the Chambourcin wines, there was a significant decrease of caftaric acid with increasing skin contact time. This could be due to tyrosinase or polyphenoloxidase (PO) activity during maceration (Ricardo da Silva et al., 1993). In Noble, caftaric acid was present in very low levels compared to the other two varieties. 

Maceration 12 hours for Sauvignon and 18 hours for other varieties. 

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