ABSTRACT
The consumption of red wine by most wine drinkers has increased significantly because of the perceived health benefits which are linked to its inherent quality characteristics. In the quest to determine the conformity of Nigeria's domestic red wine quality with their international counterparts, the quality characteristics of domestic red wines produced in Nigeria were evaluated using foreign red wines as markers of wine quality and authenticity. Foreign and domestic red wines obtained in Nigeria were analyzed for physicochemical, antioxidant, and sensory properties using standard methods. Results showed that the domestic wines had significantly (p < 0.05) higher pH (4.03-4.16) and total sugar content (8.60-9.27%) while the foreign wines had significantly (p < 0.05) higher total titratable acidity (0.76-0.83%), Brix (6.98-8.04 g/100 g), alcohol (14.44-15.21% ABV), and polyphenol content (385.13-412.75 mg/L). Additionally, the domestic wines exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) lower antioxidant capacity compared to the foreign wines. Although the wines' hue angle (27.68°-41.46°) indicated a red colour spectrum in the visible region of the opponent colour chart, the total colour difference (ΔE) between foreign and domestic wines was significant. The sensory characteristics of the wines differed significantly as the panelist rating for overall acceptance ranged from 5.58 to 7.33. This research has provided valuable insight that the domestic wines studied showed a considerable level of authenticity and different levels of quality according to their varying concentration of organic acids, residual sugars, and phenolic compounds.
