Evolution and impact of extended pomace maceration in red wines: Chromatic, phenolic and sensory perception

Maceration plays a crucial role in the red winemaking process, significantly impacting the sensory features of the resulting wine. The duration of maceration influences red wines' phenolic composition and profile, shaping their color and sensory attributes, including visual appeal, bitterness, and astringency. In this work, monastrell wines were vinified following conventional maceration methods and an extended maceration period lasting 146 days. This work aimed to study how extended maceration affects chromatic characteristics, phenolic compounds and sensory profile of Monastrell wines. The application of extended maceration decreased significantly the color intensity but increased phenolic and tannin concentrations, especially those from seeds and showed a 2-fold increase in antioxidant capacity relative to Control wines. Sensory analysis revealed a great impact of extended maceration on Monastrell wines improving some characteristics such as harmony and aroma quality. Although there was a significant increase in the concentration of tannins in the wines, this increase was not reflected at a sensory level by the tasters. The data obtained in this work showed that long extended maceration (146 days) has no negative impact on the chemical and sensory characteristics of Monastrell wines. However, it significantly modifies the sensory profile of the wines. Extended maceration may be an interesting technique to provide the worldwide wine market with new Monastrell quality wines featuring different organoleptic profiles. • Extended maceration (EM) was applied for 146 days in Monastrell red wines. • EM reduced color intensity. increased tannin concentration and antioxidant capacity. • Sensory analysis: 94% identified EM wines as different from control. • EM may offer new Monastrell wines with distinct organoleptic profiles for the global market.