Monoterpenes are aromatic compounds that are of great interest to wine as they are related to the quality of varietal wines. However, there is little information available about the impact of monoterpenes on wine odor perception at sub- or peri-threshold concentrations. The aim of this study was to investigate odor perception of monoterpene isomers in Pinot Gris wine and determine compositional matrix effects. Monoterpene isomers were quantitated in 46 Pinot Gris wines using headspace solid-phase microextraction-multidimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and sensory analysis was conducted using three different model wines. Results show that the nonvolatile composition of Pinot Gris wine strongly increased the volatility of monoterpene isomers. However, aromatic compounds suppressed odor perception, especially with the more complex monoterpene profiles. Monoterpenes were found to influence some fruity aromas in Pinot Gris. The knowledge of these interactions will further help in the development of wine styles and our understanding of wine quality.
Keywords: HS-SPME−MDGC−MS; canonical variate analysis; enantiomers; odor enhancement; triangle test.