Red wine aging in oak barrels:: evolution of the monosaccharides content

A study of the evolution of the monosaccharides arabinose, rhamnose, galactose, glucose, xylose, mannose, fructose and ribose in a red wine aged in oak barrels is presented. The influences of the barrel manufacture, the variety and the origin of the oak wood have also been considered. The monosaccharide variations depend on the type of wood; higher values during aging are observed for galactose, fructose and xylose. The relationships between monosaccharides explain some structural ratios and their sequence of formation can also be deduced. The oak variety and the coopery have an influence on the monosaccharide composition of the aged wine, which indicates a structural difference between the hemicelluloses of French and American oak wood. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.