Identification and sensory properties of novel 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol esters in wine
Abstract
Polyfunctional thiols are among the most potent aroma compounds in wine and play an important role in the varietal character of a wide range of white and red wines, especially Sauvignon blanc wines.1 While 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (3SH) and its acetate 3-sulfanylhexyl acetate (3SHA) are well established, the occurrence of further esters of 3SH has not been investigated. In our study, we report the first identification of two previously undescribed wine thiols: 3-sulfanylhexyl propionate (3SHP) and 3-sulfanylhexyl butyrate (3SHB).2 Targeted fermentation trials demonstrated that both compounds are formed during alcoholic fermentation in the presence of 3SH and short-chain fatty acids. Reference standards were synthesized to enable the identification and quantification of 3SHP and 3SHB in commercial Sauvignon blanc, Scheurebe and Verdejo wines at ng/L levels with GC-MS after derivatization.3 3SHP was detected more frequently and at higher concentrations than 3SHB, consistent with the higher abundance of propionic acid relative to butyric acid in wine. To evaluate their sensory relevance, odor detection and recognition thresholds were determined. Both 3SHP and 3SHB exhibited grapefruit-, passionfruit-, and tropical fruit-like odor qualities, but with higher thresholds than 3SH and 3SHA. Although concentrations measured in commercial wines were generally below perception thresholds, these esters may contribute to wine aroma through additive or synergistic effects at subthreshold levels.
References
(1) Darriet, P.; Pons, A. Chapter 8: Wine. In Springer Handbook of Odor; Buettner, A., Ed.; Springer: Cham, 2017, pp. 143–170.
(2) Kiene, F.; van Wyk, N.; Patz, C.; Tarasov, A.; Bäumer, V.; Schüßler, C.; Jung, R.; Wallbrunn, C. von; Pretorius, I. S.; Rauhut, D. Identification and Sensory Evaluation of 3-Sulfanylhexyl Propionate and 3-Sulfanylhexyl Butyrate in Wine, J. Agric. Food Chem. 2026, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5c12053.
(3) Kiene, F.; Pretorius, I. S.; Rauhut, D.; von Wallbrunn, C.; van Wyk, N. Construction and Analysis of a Yeast for the Simultaneous Release and Esterification of the Varietal Thiol 3-Sulfanylhexan-1-ol, J. Agric. Food Chem. 2021, 69, pp. 11919–11925, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c03976.
Issue: WAC–IVAS 2026
Type: Oral
Authors
1 Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, Hochschule Geisenheim University, Von-Lade-Straße 1, 65366 Geisenheim, Germany
2 ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2113, Australia
3 Department of Beverage Research, Hochschule Geisenheim University, Von-Lade-Straße 1, 65366 Geisenheim, Germany
4 Department of Enology, Hochschule Geisenheim University, Von-Lade-Straße 1, 65366 Geisenheim, Germany
# Present address: BRAIN Biotech AG, Darmstädter Straße 34-36, 64673 Zwingenberg, Germany
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Keywords
aroma, volatile thiols, esters, Sauvignon blanc