Rapid determination of phenolic components in red wines from UV-Visible spectra and the method of partial least squares

• Today, there are a number of methods available to quantify the phenolic compounds in wines. However, all seem to have some kind of limitation that prevents them from becoming widespread in the winery lab. For example, the Folin-Ciocalteau method is unable to distinguish tannins from polymeric pigments. The Glories method that uses DMCA staining (dimethylcinnamaldehyde) is sample -dependent. And the Somers, the Boulton, and the Harbertson-Adams methods all involve multiple steps. Finally, methods that utilize HPLC (high pressure liquid chromatography) require costly equipment. But, as the authors emphasize, the greatest limitation of all current methods is the extensive time required to generate useful information.