Influence of Terroir on Microbial Diversity and Wine Volatilome

Abstract

In this research, the differences between two terroirs belonging to the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Montilla–Moriles (Spain) were analyzed. Both areas share soil and climate characteristics, grape varieties, viticultural practices, and winemaking processes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to establish differences between both areas based on the microbiome of the must, the oenological parameters, and the majority and minority volatile compounds of the wines, thus determining the identity traits that make the wines from both areas so different. The results obtained are quite revealing, since at the microbiome level qualitative differences were established between the various areas. In the quality area, the predominant species is Torulaspora delbrueckii while in the production area it is Hanseniaspora opuntiae. Regarding the volatilome, it was observed that the aromatic profile of the wines from the production area has more citrus-fruity aromas and the quality area has honey-floral aromas, thus producing unique wines from each of the areas.