Red wine represents a complicated system of phenolic compounds which give typical properties to individual varieties. Anthocyanin pigments represent a determinant group and therefore special attention is given to its analysis. The separation in an acceptable time, the selective separation with a typical gaussian curve and the reproducibility are still a problem.Fundamental works regarding the analysis of flavonoids and anthocyanin pigments by HPLC are the isocratic methods using 10% HCOOH in a 50% methanol-water solution [l, 21. In further works, different mobile phases at isocratic and gradient elution for the production and control of wine [3-51 or for comparison of the recommended methods of analysis [6] have been used. Material and methods Samples Resilts and discussionThe problem was solved by determining the optimal composition of the mobile phase in the planned experiment with isocratic solution, in which 3 variables, x1 (from 35 to 65.5% vol of methanol in water), x p (from 0.02 to 0.3 mol . I-' HCIOl in water) and xg (from 0.02 to 0.2 ml . I-' alkylamine in water) have been studied. Diethylamine, butylamine, triethylamine, hexylamine and octylamine have been used as alkylamines. As an example, for butylamine the optimal composition of the mobile phase was x1 = 35%, x2 = 0.16 mol 'l-', x3 = 0.122 mol . I-'. All the alkylamines speed up the elution in different grade, however, the necessary separation of anthocyanins was not reached. With the adjustment of the concentration of methanol, it is possible to adjust the elution strength, but it was necessary to analyse with gradient elution. The solution A (10.5% vol methanol) and B (90% vol methanol) have been used for the gradient program. In both solutions the concentration of HCIO, and butylamine was 0.16 mol . I-' and 0.122 mol . I -', respectively. The type of gradient was set to be 25% B at the beginning and 51% B at the end. Fig. 1 shows the chromatographic record for the analysis of anthocyanins in the Cabernet Sauvignon wine with the identified peaks (1) delphidin-3-glucoside, (2) cyanidin-3-glucoside, (3) petunidin-3-glucoside, (4) peonidin-3-glucoside, ( 5 ) malvidin-3-glucoside, (6) unidentified, (7) delphidin-3-glucoside acetate, (8) cyanidin-3-glucoside acetate, (9) petunidin-3-glucoside acetate, (10) peonidin-3-glucoside acetate, (1 1) malvidin-3-glucoside acetate, (12) delphidin-3-glucoside p-coumarate, (13) peonidin-3-glucoside p-coumarate and (14) malvidin-3-glucoside p-coumarate.The method of separation of anthocyanins with addition of alkylamines and the previous recommended method for separation using gradient elution [7] have been compared. This comparison was made on the basis of the time analysis, separation efficiency (selectivity, differentiation factor, capacity factor) and reproducibility of the gradient. For instance the time of analysis was shortened