High performance liquid chromatography analysis of phenolic substances in Greek wines

Eleven samples of commercially available Greek wines were analyzed in order to determine the phenolic content. For the analysis, reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) coupled with diode array detection was used. The most abundant phenolic substance detected was (+)-catechin (11.8-40 mg l−1). Red wines contained more phenolic substances than white ones. The effect of aging in oak wood barrels on phenolics was also investigated. Specific types of Greek white wines, “retsina”, were also analyzed. Pitch, which is added to such types of wines, contributes significantly to the increased amount of phenolic compounds present in the wine.