Effect of grape dehydration under controlled conditions on chemical composition and sensory characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines

•Wines with high value-added were produced with dried grapes.•Red wines obtained from dried grapes showed higher bioactive phenolic content.•The mineral content of the wines increased with the extent of grape dehydration.•Wines produced with dried grapes exhibited typical sensory descriptors of liqueur.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines produced with grapes dried under controlled conditions (7 °C, 35% relative humidity and airflow of 12 m3/s) were chemical and sensory characterized. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes were vinified at the time of harvest (control wines) and after 30 and 40 g/100 g dehydration to wines produced with dried grapes. The Merlot wine produced with 40 g/100 g dried grapes, and the Cabernet Sauvignon wine produced with 30 g/100 g dried grapes, showed the highest levels of total polyphenols and total antioxidant activity. The elemental content was highest in wines produced with dried grapes. Sensory characterization showed that wines produced with dehydrated grapes exhibited typical descriptors of liqueur wines such as red-orange colour and high viscosity and alcoholic sensation. Principal component analysis confirmed that the grape dehydration process under controlled conditions influenced the chemical composition and sensory characteristics of the wines produced, mainly from 40 g/100 g dried grape, yielding differentiated and high value-added products.