Occurrence of anthocyanin pigments in berries of the white cultivar Muscat Gordo Blanco (Vitis vinifera L.)

Rose coloration of skin was observed to sometimes develop late during ripening on the normally white grape berries of cv. Muscat Gordo Blanco. The nature of the pigment was investigated by HPLC analysis of skin extracts of single berries. The predominant anthocyanin was identified as cyanidin-3-glucoside with minor amounts of delphinidin- and peonidin-3-glucosides. This composition resembles the skin composition of coloured, small-seeded muscat cultivars which it also resembles by the monoterpene composition of the juice. The pigments occurred only in berries with levels of total soluble solids in excess of 24°Brix in the juice and such berries tended to have smaller fresh weight. Berry pigmentation occurred on vines with various root systems. The specific conditions under which pigment developed in Muscat Gordo berries may offer a useful tool in the study of anthocyanin biosynthesis