Influence of terroirs on the phenolic composition and astringency of wines made from representative plots of Corbières subregions

Phenolic compounds play a significant role in the organoleptic properties (colour, astringency, and bitterness) and stability of wines through oxidative processes. These properties depend on both intrinsic factors, such as grape variety, and extrinsic ones, such as soil, climate, and winemaking techniques. The Corbières appellation is a renowned red grape variety region of the south of France. This work evaluated the effect of soil, climate, and vineyard practices in this region on the polyphenolic compositions of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, and Mourvèdre mono-varietal wines produced at an experimental scale from the same vintage. A general and targeted study of the wines’ polyphenol profiles was adopted, focusing on anthocyanins, derived pigments, and tannins. The studied regions can be discriminated in terms of some of the analysed parameters depending on grape variety. Moreover, through a Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) sensorial analysis, a link was traced between the tannin composition and the astringency perception of the wines.