Chemical composition and sensory profile of Syrah wines from semiarid tropical Brazil – Rootstock and harvest season effects

This study aims to characterise the chemical compositions and sensorial profiles of wines made with Syrah grapes over two harvest seasons (first and second semester), over in different calendar years, from vines on two different rootstocks (1103P and IAC 313). Wine chemical composition and sensory profile were influenced by both rootstock and harvest season. Syrah wines on IAC 313 were favoured with higher concentrations of, petunidin 3-O-acetylglucoside (3.7 mg/L), malvidin 3-O-acetylglucoside (17.8 mg/L), malvidin 3-O-coumarylglucoside (4.4 mg/L), petunidin 3-O-coumarylglucoside (2.0 mg/L), peonidin 3-O-coumarylglucoside (1.4 mg/L), monomeric flavanols (23.6 mg/L), oligomeric tannins (183.0 mg/L), total condensed tannins (1037.7 mg/L), dimer B1 (9.8 mg/L), B4 (5.0 mg/L), trimer C1 (3.1 mg/L) and calcium (80 mg/L). Syrah wines on 1103P had higher concentrations of total anthocyanins (375.6 mg/L, catechin (8.6 mg/L), epicatechin (12.6 mg/L), dimer B2 (21.0 mg/L), B1 3-O-gallate (1.8 mg/L), B2 3′-O-gallate (6.0 mg/L) and total flavanols (53.4 mg/L). The sensory profiles of the Syrah wines were influenced by rootstock followed by, mainly in relation to aromatic attributes. Syrah wines on IAC 313 were scored more highly by the tasters. •Rootstock influenced: calcium, molecular anthocyanins, condensed tannins and some flavanols.•Harvest season influenced: calcium, non-flavonoids, total anthocyanins and total flavanols.•In PCA, anthocyanins and flavanols were more discriminated by the harvest season.