Effect of terrains on the volatiles of Cabernet Sauvignon wines grown in Loess Plateau region of China

Abstract

Volatile compounds of young Cabernet Sauvignon wines from the flat and slope lands grown in Loess Plateau region (China) were investigated in this research. Among the volatile compounds analyzed by headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), a total of 43 and 45 volatile compounds were identified and quantified in the flat and slope lands wines, respectively. In the volatiles detected, higher alcohols formed the most abundant group in the aroma components of two wines, followed by esters and fatty acids. According to their odor active values (OAVs) and relative odor contribution (ROC), the aromatic profiles for two wines were similar, showing only quantitative but not qualitative differences. Ethyl octanoate, ethyl hexanoate and isoamyl acetate were found to jointly contribute to 98.8 and 99.2% of the global aroma of the flat and slope wines, respectively. These odorants are associated with “fruity’’ and ‘‘ripe fruit’’ odor descriptors. Wine from flat land with higher OAVs of ethyl octanoate and isoamyl acetate seems to have more intense fruity aromas (pineapple, pear and banana), with floral notes.

Keywords: Cabernet Sauvignon wines, volatiles, terrains, Loess Plateau region, headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)