Relationship between sensory perception, volatile and phenolic components in commercial Spanish red wines from different regions

Abstract

Polyphenols are an important fraction of the non-volatile components in the red wine matrix, and they are influenced in quantity and composition at all stages from the grape growing conditions until the time the wine is consumed. Evidence of their interaction with volatiles has been found, and this should affect wine flavour. A range of 12 commercial Spanish red wines from different regions and ages was analysed for their sensory properties, volatile composition in solution and headspace, and their non-volatile phenolic components. Maturation was the most important effect on sensory perception, while the chemical data showed also individual differences between the wines and their regions of production. Headspace volatiles and the phenolic fraction showed better correlations with the sensory perception, but volatiles in solution did not give a good prediction, though there were changes related to maturation. Some flavour components showed changes in their volatile behaviour in the matured wines. This supports the hypothesis that changes in the behaviour of the volatile fraction are related to the evolution of phenolic compounds.