Sensory analysis of wines made from selected genotypes obtained from crosses involving Croatian native grapevine germplasm

Abstract

Acceptance of new disease-resistant cultivars in viticulture and winemaking remains limited, despite their enhanced resistance to major fungal diseases. This reluctance is primarily connected to the strong association between viticulture and the traditional varieties of a given area, and the historically inferior quality of early generation disease-resistant cultivars. Consequently, new cultivars are expected to produce wines comparable to traditional vinifera varieties. Therefore, the early evaluation of wine quality and sensory properties represents a crucial step in the breeding and selection of new disease-resistant cultivars.

The study was conducted on genotypes obtained from crosses Grk x Panonia (GRP) and Dišeća ranina x Panonia (DRP). Wines made from selected genotypes were produced in the 2024 and 2025 vintages and were subjected to sensory evaluation. The sensory evaluation was based on detailed sensory profiling using RATA (Rate-All-That-Apply) method, while the obtained data was used to perform MFA(Multiple Factor Analysis). For both vintages, results showed no presence of undesirable aromas or flavours, such as ‘foxy’ aromas. Furthermore, the average scores for overall impression for most genotypes were 3.5 (out of 5) or higher, indicating good wine quality. Detailed sensory profiling combined with MFArevealed that both GRP and DRP genotypes clustered into two groups. One group was characterised by flower aromas, such as acacia, linden, honeysuckle, and elderflower, while the second group was characterised by fruity and herbaceous aromas, such as apple, lemon, grass, and herbs. The MFAalso revealed that some of the genotypes showed similarities to the vinifera parent varieties. Moreover, the major influence of the vintage was also observed. Wines from the 2025 vintage displayed higher intensity of the aromas, especially flower and stone fruit aromas. These results indicate a good potential for producing wines that would appeal to consumers, along with the possibility of producing a wide range of wine styles, since the genotypes displayed variability in their sensory profiles. Furthermore, this study confirms the importance of including detailed sensory evaluation in the breeding program for the selection of genotypes with positive sensory profiles.

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Croatian Science Foundation (HRZZ).