Antioxidant activity, malolactic fermentation and sensory evaluation of the grape must after fermentation in the presence of gallic acid and coumaric acid, as well as the inhibitory mechanism of gallic acid and coumaric acid on pectin methyl esterase (PME), were investigated. The content of malic acid and lactic acid increased 40.4% and 36.9% compared to the control when commercial pectic enzyme (CPE) was used. The increase in malic acid content was enhanced by 64.8% and 83.4%, compared to the control in the presence of CPE + Gallic acid and CPE + Coumaric acid respectively. Ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) increased in the samples with added CPE. In addition to an increase in the FRAP, antioxidant capacity was enhanced in the CPE + Gallic acid and CPE + Coumaric acid samples. No significant differences were found in the content of total anthocyanin and in the value of sensory characteristics. The content of total flavanols increased significantly in the samples with added CPE. Lineweaver-Burk plots of PME, with gallic acid or coumaric acid, indicated that gallic acid and coumaric acid were mixed inhibitors of PME.