Colorimetric characteristics of the phenolic fractions obtained from Tempranillo and Graciano wines through the use of different instrumental techniques.

The aim of the present work was to determine whether there is any relationship between measurement by transmission and reflection (in the latter case, with and without contact with the sample). We also evaluated which methodology used would offer a better interpretation of the results in visual terms. For this purpose, different colorimetric techniques such as transmission spectrophotometry, diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry and spectroradiometry were applied. The samples consisted of increasing dilutions (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%) of the phenolic fractions obtained from 4 wines: Tempranillo (T) and Graciano (G) monovarietal wines, and two 80:20 mixtures: M (wine elaborated by blending grapes) and W (a blend of the T and G wines) (9 fractions per wine). Fractionation was performed using gel permeation chromatography with a Toyopearl HW-40S column, and the dilutions of the fractions were performed with synthetic wine (pH=3.6). The spectroradiometric measurements permitted the differences due to the dilution effect on the fractions to be established more clearly than with the results obtained using diffuse reflectance and spectrophotometry. Thus, this technology is very suitable for use in comparative interpretations by the human eye. In turn, we assessed the changes in colour due to the effect of dilution on the fractions, observing that the effect of dilution led to an increase in the values of lightness (L*), while the chroma values (C*(ab)) followed the opposite trend, in agreement with its role as a variable related to chromatic intensity or vividness of the sample. In contrast, hue (h(ab)) did not seem to be affected by dilution of the fractions, in consonance with the qualitative nature of this parameter.