Gas chromatography-olfactometry characterization of corvina and corvinone young and aged wines

Abstract

AIM AND METHODS: Corvina and Corvinone are the two main grape varieties used in the production of Valpolicella, Recioto and Amarone, top-quality red wines in north-eastern Italy. This work aimed at determining the aroma composition of Corvina and Corvinone experimental wines and identify the main aroma compounds contributing to the aroma characteristics of Corvina and Corvinone monovarietal wines. Five Corvina and five Corvinone wines were studied, the grapes coming from five different vineyards in Valpolicella. Volatile compounds were extracted by SPE and identified and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), whereas their aroma impact was determined by gas chromatography- olfactometry (GC-O).

RESULTS: Based on the GC-MS-O analysis, 95 odor zones were detected, from which 68 compounds were successfully identified. Using the criterion of a value higher than 30% in modified frequency (MF %), 51 compounds were selected and grouped according to odor similarity. Compounds with values below 30% were discarded. Modified frequency percentage (MF %) was calculated using the frequency of citation and the intensity of each odor zone (Dravnieks, 1985). Fifteen groups were created with the following odor descriptors: vegetal, fruity, lactic, berry-like, balsamic, chemical, reductive, plastic, toasted-burnt, sweet, floral, rancid, herbaceous, sweet-spices and spicy. Diacetyl, ethyl butyrate, isoamyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol, 1-octen-3-one, methional, 2-/3-methylbutyric acid, methionol, beta-damascenone, 2-methoxyphenol (guaiacol), beta-phenethyl alcohol, 4- propylguaiacol, and eugenol, were found to be the most potent compounds. A number of other potent odor zones were detected but could not be identified, in particular associated with the odor descriptors such as balsamic, sweet-spices and toasted-burnt. Identification of the chemical compounds responsible for these odor zones is currently in progress.

CONCLUSIONS:

This work helps to shed more light on the aroma composition of some of the most representative red wines made in Italy and from which there is little information available to date.

DOI:

Publication date: September 16, 2021

Issue: Macrowine 2021

Type: Article

Authors

Jessica Anahi Samaniego Solis

University of Verona,Giovanni LUZZINI, University of Verona Davide SLAGHENAUFI, University of Verona Giulio COSENTINO , University of Verona Maurizio UGLIANO, University of Verona

Contact the author

Keywords

gas chromatography; olfactometry; corvina; corvinone

Citation

Related articles…

Training vineyards resilience to environmental variations by managing vine water use

The challenges of the century for viticulture relate to coping with climate change and the loss of biodiversity in a downturning socio-economic context. Now more than ever, the vine and wine industry needs to be resilient to maintain and ensure a future for its heritage. An innovation of capital importance, in line with recently published research, deals with developing new methods of training our inherited and newly planted vineyards to better withstand environmental variations such as drought and heatwaves but also unevenly distributed rains and temperatures.

Pinot blanc: how terroir and pressing techniques impact on the must composition and wine quality

This study investigates how different pressing techniques impact on the sensory profile of Pinot Blanc wines sourced from different terroirs.

Three proximal sensors to estimate texture, skeleton and soil water storage in vineyards

Proximal sensors are becoming widely used in precision viticulture, due to the quick, easy and non-invasive identification of soil spatial variability. The apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) is the main parameter measured by sensors, which is correlated to many factors, like soil water content, salinity, clay content and mineralogy, rock fragments, bulk density, and porosity.

Prevention of wine oxidation during barrel aging: an innovative method to measure antioxidant

Wine oxidation is a problem that affects the freshness, the aromatic profile, the colour and also the mouthfeel of the wine. It mainly concerns white wines. Oxygen interactions with wine compounds lead to the phenomena cited above that are responsible for the depreciation of these wines. Barrel aging is a crucial step in the wine process because it allows many modifications as wine enrichment, colour stabilization, clarification and also a slow oxygenation of the wine. Effects of the oak barrel have to be known to prevent oxidation of the wine. We have been interested in the main antioxidant compounds released by oak barrels to the wine and we have developed an innovative method to reach directly these antioxidant compounds at the oak stave surface.

ACIDIC AND DEMALIC SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE STRAINS FOR MANAGING PROBLEMS OF ACIDITY DURING THE ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION

In a recent study several genes controlling the acidification properties of the wine yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been identified by a QTL approach [1]. Many of these genes showed allelic variations that affect the metabolism of malic acid and the pH homeostasis during the alcoholic fermentation. Such alleles have been used for driving genetic selection of new S. cerevisiae starters that may conversely acidify or deacidify the wine by producing or consuming large amount of malic acid [2]. This particular feature drastically modulates the final pH of wine with difference of 0.5 units between the two groups.