By Malvina Demaj Last Updated: Mar 11, 2026

Anthocyanins

(an-thuh-sigh-uh-nins)
DEFINITION

Anthocyanins

Anthocyanins are natural polyphenol pigments located in the skins of red grapes, which are responsible for the red, purple and blue colors in young red wines. Their concentrations often exceed 500 mg/L in full bodied reds, where they determine the wine’s hue, shifting from vibrant red to brownish orange as they age, due to polymerization and stabilization with tannins.

Did you know? The red ruby color of a red wine comes entirely from the grape skins. The longer the skins stay in contact with the juice, the richer and darker the wine becomes.

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