Study of anthocyanin profile for valorization of autochthonous grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars of the Emilia Romagna region

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is a crop of major economical interest in Italy and it is largely grown in the plains and hills of Reggio Emilia and Modena (Emilia Romagna Region, northern Italy). Grapes are mainly used for wine production and table consumption, as well as for other minor processed products. Among these latters, ‘saba’ and ‘agresto’ are traditional Italian products both based on unfermented grape juices that are concentrated by heating. The concentration by heating is a process also used for manufacturing fermented products, such as traditional balsamic vinegars and ‘vino cotto’ of the Marche region. The study of polyphenolic substances plays a primary role in oenology, in particular to define the sensory properties of the wine and to deepen the chemical and physical processes that occur during wine aging. In addition, the anthocyanin composition of red grapes is also a phenotypic trait distinctive of the individual grapevine cultivar and its determination can be used as a marker for the evaluation of grape authenticity and wine adulteration. The purpose of this study is the characterization of anthocyanin composition of some grape varieties and accessions of Emilia Romagna (Northern Italy) in order to outline the individual profiles by qualitative and quantitative approach. These data will contribute to the implementation of “Italian Vitis Database” (http://www.vitisdb.it), in a project called “An Italian Vitis database with multidisciplinary approach for exploitation and valorization of the regional genotypes” funded by AGER Agroalimentare e Ricerca.