Aroma components of Galician Albariño, Loureira and Godello wines

Abstract

Wines of the three most interesting Galician white grape varieties have been deeply analyzed for three aroma categories: the volatile compounds, except for monoterpenols, the monoterpenols and the bound forms. Many compounds showed significant differences between the wine groups, as proved by Tukey's test, e.g. for methanol, trans and cis 3-hexen-1-ols and relevant ratio, benzaldehyde and 4-vinylguaiacol in the first category, and for the most part of compounds of the other two categories.
Loureira and most Albariño wines contain linalool and ho-trienol at a level of sensorial contribution. The relevant average terpene profiles show many similarities, especially for Albariño and particularly if considering the contents and relevant ratios of furan and pyran linalool oxide isomers, of ho-diendiols I and II and of geraniol. On the other hand differences could be stated for some compounds, mostly under the bound forms. Godello wines, with the poorest content of monoterpenols under both forms, are principally characterized by a marked level of bound benzaldehyde, with contemporary presence of a considerable average level of the free form.
PCA data treatments on both monoterpenols and aglycons from the bound forms, showed a good separation among the groups as well a good homogeneity and varietal correspondence of the wines.