Abstract
Over the past several years, there has been an increase in studies on wines made from new varieties resulting from breeding and selection programmes. They explore the oenological, aromatic and polyphenolic profiles of these wines and compare them to wines made from traditional grape varieties. However, very few studies have explored the polysaccharide and oligosaccharide composition of these wines. This study therefore aimed to investigate the influence of grape variety on this composition and structure. Wines from traditional, disease-resistant and hybrid direct producer grape varieties were analysed. The results showed significant variations in polysaccharide content and composition among the different wine types. Hybrid direct producer grape varieties exhibited higher total polysaccharide concentrations, particularly in the pectic polysaccharides PRAGs and RG-II, compared to classic and resistant varieties. The Ara/Gal and the [(GalU-Rha)/2 x Rha] ratio varied among wines, suggesting differences in enzymatic activities during grape ripening and winemaking. HPSEC-MALS analysis revealed distinct polysaccharide and oligosaccharide populations in all wines, with variations in their molar mass distributions. Overall, this study highlights the impact of grape variety on wine polysaccharide and oligosaccharide composition, suggesting that cultivar selection can significantly influence the final characteristics of wine.