Volatilome Analysis for Differentiating Terroir Expression: A Case Study of Three Wineries in a Limestone-Rich, Warm-Climate Region

This study investigated young white wines produced during the 2021 and 2022 vintages from Pedro Ximénez grapes cultivated in three different terroirs within a high-quality production zone. The general oenological parameters were significantly influenced by vintage and terroir (<i>p</i> ≤...

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Main Authors: José Miguel Fuentes-Espinosa, Raquel Muñoz-Castells, Jaime Moreno-García, Teresa García-Martínez, Juan Carlos Mauricio, Juan Moreno
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/14/2982
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author José Miguel Fuentes-Espinosa
Raquel Muñoz-Castells
Jaime Moreno-García
Teresa García-Martínez
Juan Carlos Mauricio
Juan Moreno
author_facet José Miguel Fuentes-Espinosa
Raquel Muñoz-Castells
Jaime Moreno-García
Teresa García-Martínez
Juan Carlos Mauricio
Juan Moreno
author_sort José Miguel Fuentes-Espinosa
collection DOAJ
description This study investigated young white wines produced during the 2021 and 2022 vintages from Pedro Ximénez grapes cultivated in three different terroirs within a high-quality production zone. The general oenological parameters were significantly influenced by vintage and terroir (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.001), with ethanol and reducing sugars specifically affected by the terroir and its interaction with the vintage. Multivariate analysis of major and minor volatile compounds enabled the characterization of terroir-specific volatile profiles. However, principal component analysis (PCA) grouped samples by vintage rather than terroir. Ethyl esters of medium- and long-chain fatty acids and certain acetates of higher alcohols were the most discriminant volatiles and were proposed as key compounds for differentiating wines by terroir and vintage. These findings underscore the influence of the terroir on the volatilome and support its relevance in defining wine typicity and quality.
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publishDate 2025-07-01
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series Molecules
spelling doaj-art-2fc174d884ab4bda8a72047aa6a2cc2e2025-08-20T03:36:22ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-07-013014298210.3390/molecules30142982Volatilome Analysis for Differentiating Terroir Expression: A Case Study of Three Wineries in a Limestone-Rich, Warm-Climate RegionJosé Miguel Fuentes-Espinosa0Raquel Muñoz-Castells1Jaime Moreno-García2Teresa García-Martínez3Juan Carlos Mauricio4Juan Moreno5Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Edaphology and Microbiology, Marie Curie (C3) and Severo Ochoa (C6) Buildings, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence CeiA3, University of Córdoba, Ctra. N-IV-A, km 396, 14014 Córdoba, SpainDepartment of Agricultural Chemistry, Edaphology and Microbiology, Marie Curie (C3) and Severo Ochoa (C6) Buildings, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence CeiA3, University of Córdoba, Ctra. N-IV-A, km 396, 14014 Córdoba, SpainDepartment of Agricultural Chemistry, Edaphology and Microbiology, Marie Curie (C3) and Severo Ochoa (C6) Buildings, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence CeiA3, University of Córdoba, Ctra. N-IV-A, km 396, 14014 Córdoba, SpainDepartment of Agricultural Chemistry, Edaphology and Microbiology, Marie Curie (C3) and Severo Ochoa (C6) Buildings, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence CeiA3, University of Córdoba, Ctra. N-IV-A, km 396, 14014 Córdoba, SpainDepartment of Agricultural Chemistry, Edaphology and Microbiology, Marie Curie (C3) and Severo Ochoa (C6) Buildings, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence CeiA3, University of Córdoba, Ctra. N-IV-A, km 396, 14014 Córdoba, SpainDepartment of Agricultural Chemistry, Edaphology and Microbiology, Marie Curie (C3) and Severo Ochoa (C6) Buildings, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence CeiA3, University of Córdoba, Ctra. N-IV-A, km 396, 14014 Córdoba, SpainThis study investigated young white wines produced during the 2021 and 2022 vintages from Pedro Ximénez grapes cultivated in three different terroirs within a high-quality production zone. The general oenological parameters were significantly influenced by vintage and terroir (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.001), with ethanol and reducing sugars specifically affected by the terroir and its interaction with the vintage. Multivariate analysis of major and minor volatile compounds enabled the characterization of terroir-specific volatile profiles. However, principal component analysis (PCA) grouped samples by vintage rather than terroir. Ethyl esters of medium- and long-chain fatty acids and certain acetates of higher alcohols were the most discriminant volatiles and were proposed as key compounds for differentiating wines by terroir and vintage. These findings underscore the influence of the terroir on the volatilome and support its relevance in defining wine typicity and quality.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/14/2982wineterroirvintagevolatile compoundschemometric differentiation
spellingShingle José Miguel Fuentes-Espinosa
Raquel Muñoz-Castells
Jaime Moreno-García
Teresa García-Martínez
Juan Carlos Mauricio
Juan Moreno
Volatilome Analysis for Differentiating Terroir Expression: A Case Study of Three Wineries in a Limestone-Rich, Warm-Climate Region
Molecules
wine
terroir
vintage
volatile compounds
chemometric differentiation
title Volatilome Analysis for Differentiating Terroir Expression: A Case Study of Three Wineries in a Limestone-Rich, Warm-Climate Region
title_full Volatilome Analysis for Differentiating Terroir Expression: A Case Study of Three Wineries in a Limestone-Rich, Warm-Climate Region
title_fullStr Volatilome Analysis for Differentiating Terroir Expression: A Case Study of Three Wineries in a Limestone-Rich, Warm-Climate Region
title_full_unstemmed Volatilome Analysis for Differentiating Terroir Expression: A Case Study of Three Wineries in a Limestone-Rich, Warm-Climate Region
title_short Volatilome Analysis for Differentiating Terroir Expression: A Case Study of Three Wineries in a Limestone-Rich, Warm-Climate Region
title_sort volatilome analysis for differentiating terroir expression a case study of three wineries in a limestone rich warm climate region
topic wine
terroir
vintage
volatile compounds
chemometric differentiation
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/14/2982
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