Characterization of Biochemical Compositions, Volatile Compounds and Sensory Profiles of Cabernet Sauvignon Wine in Successive Vintages (2008-2017)

Abstract

Cabernet Sauvignon grape is an emblematic cultivar of Huailai region, China, allowing obtaining wines accounts for a large proportion of national consumption. This work aimed to determine the differences in basic parameters, organic acids, phenolics, volatile compounds and sensory profiles of Cabernet Sauvignon wines of successive vintages (2008-2017). The total organic acids content ranged from 7.03 to 42.33 g L^-1, with higher concentration determined in 2008 and 2009 and the level of tartaric acid in latest vintages (2015-2017) was higher than earlier vintages (2008-2014). For phenolics, the total content ranged from 2370 to 4430 mg L^-1 and 2017 vintage showed the highest concentration due to higher content of benzoic, salicylic and vanillic acid. Regarding volatile compounds, esters were the most abundant compounds ranged from 3997.77 to 6279.00 μg L^-1. The distribution of date was accumulated three groups according to principal component analysis based on volatile compounds and vintages: The earlier vintages of 2008 and 2009, latest vintage of 2017 and the vintage in the middle from 2010 to 2016. 2-hexenoic acid, ethyl ester, n-heptanol, bornyl acetate, ethyl isopentyl succinate and terpinen-4-ol were the main compounds responsible for classification according to 2017 vintage (rPC1>0.7). Regarding the wine of 2008 and 2009, lots of esters including ethyl 3-phenylpropionate, ethyl laurate, ethyl nonanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and ethyl isovalerate seemed to be the most discriminant compounds. The observed differences may lay a research foundation for harvest differentiation and provide reference regarding the choice and storage of Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Furthermore, the obtained data could provide some useful information of the storage effect to the wines producer. This study provided consumers with comprehensive chemical indicators of wine quality and the mechanism of component transformation such as phenolics, which were expected to study during storage.