PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF RED WINES (CABERNET SAUVIGNON AND TEMPRANILLO) FROM ENSENADA, BAJA CALIFORNIA

Abstract

Ensenada wine country, in the State of Baja California, Mexico, accounts for approximately 70–80 % of Mexico’s wine production. Despite its significance, detailed knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of wines remains limited. In this study, we examined nine physicochemical properties of 69 commercial red wines produced from the Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon varietals in the San Vicente, Santo Tomás, and Guadalupe valleys. The pH, total acidity, acetic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, total polyphenols, glucose/fructose ratio, alcohol content, and red color intensity were all analyzed. Tempranillo wines showed significantly higher levels of acetic acid, lactic acid, and total acidity, but lower levels of total polyphenols and malic acid than Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Furthermore, wines from the Santo Tomás region have significantly higher alcohol content, glucose/fructose ratio, total polyphenols, red color intensity, and total acidity, distinguishing them from the wines of San Vicente and Guadalupe. Our results highlight the influence of the grape variety on wine chemistry, emphasizing the possibility for further optimization of the winemaking processes for the benefit of vine growers, enologists, and wine production in the region.