Vitis 53 (1), 45–52 (2014) The influence of different prefermentative maceration processes and tartaric stabilization treatments on the color, cation content and other physico-chemical parameters of 'Băbească neagră' rosé wines C. I. ZAMFIR 1) , V. V. COTEA 1) , C. E. LUCHIAN 1) , M. NICULAUA 2) and G. ODĂGERIU 2) 1) University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine "Ion Ionescu de la Brad", Faculty of Horticulture, Iaşi, Romania 2) Romanian Academy, Iași Branch, Oenology Research Centre, Iaşi, Romania Correspondence to: Prof. V. V. COTEA, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine "Ion Ionescu de la Brad", Faculty of Horticulture, 3, Mihail Sadoveanu Avenue, 700490, Iaşi, Romania. Fax +40-232-407519. E-mail: vcotea@uaiasi.ro Summary This study enhances knowledge in the physico- chemical and color parameters of rosé wines produced by the prefermentative maceration of native Romanian 'Băbească neagră' (Vitis vinifera L.) grape varieties, both before and after tartaric stabilization treatments by the contact procedure in an MK70 ultra-refrigera- tor. One variety was prepared without maceration as a control sample and the other was subjected to the maceration process for one of the following seven pe- riods of time: 3.5 hours, 7 hours, 10.5 hours, 14 hours, 17.5 hours, 21 hours and 24.5 hours. The prefermenta- tive maceration process exerts a significant influence on the amount of volatile acids, on the pH, conductivity and the K + cation. The phenolic compound content, the chromatic parameters and the cation content of wines are significantly influenced by both prefermentative maceration and tartaric stabilization. The multifactor ANOVA tests prove that there is an interaction for all parameters except for total acidity. K e y w o r d s : tartaric stabilization, rosé wine, prefermen- tative maceration, chromatic parameters, cation content. A b b r e v i a t i o n s : ANOVA analysis of variance; VA volatile acidity; TA total acidity; χ conductivity; TSW tartaric stabilized wine; TPC total phenolic compounds; ANTH anthocy- anins; L clarity; a red-green color component; b yellow-blue color component; C chroma; H˚ tone; WCI wine color intensity; WCH wine color hue; CIEDE color difference; CCS computerized color simulation. Introduction The ultimate challenge for a winemaker is to provide a quality wine that consumers will enjoy. Each step in the winemaking process is carefully planned and executed to maximize the quality of the wine. Control of the prefermen- tative maceration period and tartaric stabilization in must and wine are two of the fundamental steps used in wine- making to enhance and maintain color quality from year to year. Red wine color evolves during the maceration process through the conditioning phase; the process continues dur- ing the storage period (AUW et al. 1996, SARNI-MANCHADO et al. 1995). In the rosé winemaking process, red berries are usually pressed and the juice is then fermented. If no maceration step is involved, only some of the anthocyanins are extracted from the grape skin and other phenolic com- pounds, mainly those with a nonflavonoid structure, are extracted from the pulp. However, these compounds do not form stable anthocyanin-phenolic complexes (CHEYNIER 2001). Instead, the free monomeric anthocyanins, which are known to be unstable in wine and produce an unstable color, dominate (RIBÉREAU-GAYON et al. 2000). Prefermentative maceration at low temperatures in white winemaking has been widely used to achieve bet- ter color stability (RAMEY et al. 1986). The technique may be improved by adding enzymatic preparations capable of degrading the polyosidic structure of the skin cell mem- branes, thereby increasing the release of polyphenols (CA- NAL-LLAUBÉRES 1993, GERBAUX et al. 2002, PARDO et al. 1999). Among the grapes used for rosé and red wines, the 'Băbească neagră' grape variety is ranked first among na- tive Romanian varieties in terms of cultivated area. Several appellations in south-eastern Romania make their wines from this grape variety. 'Băbească neagră' rosé wines have a bright red hue after fermentation that evolves to a salmon tone during the conditioning process. Tartaric acid and tartrate play an important role in the stability of wines. The precipitation of potassium bitartrate (KHT) appears in both acidified and non-acidified wines (RATSIMBA et al. 1989). Several methods can reduce the tar- taric acid content, such as the use of crystallization inhibi- tors, the modification of the wine pH and the linking of tar- taric acid in soluble complexes. Among these procedures, the best known are refrigeration, the contact procedure, the reverse osmosis technique, the ion exchange method, elec- trodialysis and deacidification (RHEIN and NERADT 1979, CRACHERAU et al. 2001, MOUTOUNET et al. 1997). Cold tar- trate stabilization is traditionally used to prevent the pre- cipitation problem. This process involves cooling the wine to -4 °C over several days or the addition of crystallization germs (potassium tartrate crystalline powder) in a dose of 4 g·L -1 prior to maintaining the wine at -4 °C for 3 h, the so-called contact method, in order to generate KHT pre- cipitation prior to bottling (FEUILLAT 1980, BLOUIN 1982, MAUJEAN 1994). This technique can cause the simultaneous precipitation of polyphenols and can affect wine quality (V ERNHET et al. 1999). The pigments of red and rosé wines are often involved in complexes with tartaric acid. As wine oxidizes and pigment polymerization occurs, the holding capacity for tartaric acid diminishes, often resulting in the