Effect of artificial ageing using different wood chips on the antioxidant activity, resveratrol and catechin concentration, sensory properties and colour of two Greek red wines

•Two young Greek red wines (Syrah and Cabernet) were artificially aged.•Eleven different wood chips were used (two of them were used for the first time).•Content of resveratrol and catechin, color and sensory properties were improved. Two Greek red wines (Syrah and Cabernet) were artificially aged with different wood chips (white oak, red oak, Turkey oak, chestnut, Bosnian pine, cherry, common juniper, common walnut, white mulberry, black locust and apricot). The influence of each wood species was tested for up to 20days. The optimum duration for the extraction of total polyphenols was 20days (Syrah) or 10days (Cabernet) when chips of white oak, chestnut, cherry, white mulberry, black locust and apricot where used. Resveratrol and catechin concentrations ranged within the limits previously reported in literature. A high antioxidant activity was established after 10days of artificial ageing. The sensory evaluation showed that the best results were produced by the apricot chips after 5days (Syrah) or black locust and apricot after 5days (Cabernet). Colour was seen to increase with both time of ageing and number of wood chips added.