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Volatile aroma components of Australian port wines
Author(s) -
Simpson Robert F.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740310213
Subject(s) - furfural , chemistry , aroma , wine , organic chemistry , gas chromatography , sugar , gas chromatography–mass spectrometry , food science , chromatography , mass spectrometry , catalysis
The volatile aroma compositions of a blended port wine, having an equivalent age of 20 years, and a 100‐year‐old port wine were examined by gas chromatography and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. The compounds identified were products of yeast fermentation, acetalisation, esterification and oxidation reactions occurring during storage, carbohydrate degradation (of residual grape sugar and wood hemi‐celluloses) and wood extraction. High concentrations of ethyl lactate, diethyl succinate and diethyl malate were found relative to quantities present in young wine. 1‐Ethoxy‐1‐(3‐methylbutoxy)ethane, 1‐ethoxy‐1‐(2‐methylbutoxy)ethane, 1,1‐diethoxypropan‐2‐one, cis ‐5‐hydroxy‐2‐methyl‐1,3‐dioxane and cis ‐4‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐methyl‐1,3‐dioxolane were identified. The presence of these and other acetals demonstrated that carbonyl compounds were also present. Carbonyl compounds are likely to contribute to the ‘rancio’ flavour of these port wines. Carbohydrate‐derived compounds found included furfural, 2‐acetylfuran, 5‐methylfurfural, ethyl laevulinate, ethyl furoate and 5‐ethoxymethyl furfural. Oak lactone, which is a wood extractive, was also identified and is likely to contribute to the woody aroma distinguishable in these port wines.