Grappa is one of the most important Italian marketed distillates and its production is allowed only from grapes produced and processed in Italy. Grappa is obtained from fermented or semi-fermented grape pomace (DM n. 747, 2016), which is a by-product of the winemaking process.
Grappa is rich in volatile compounds (about 1%v/v) and each compound contributes to the flavor according to its concentration and sensory threshold. This aspect plays a fundamental role in the consumers’ preference of the different styles of grappa present on the market.
The constant application of new and improved reliable analytical tools is fundamental to achieve a detailed description of a complex aroma profile in relation to its sensory descriptors.
Comprehensive bidimensional gas-chromatography is at the forefront of the technical innovation in volatile compounds analysis. With respect to classical GC-MS, the bidimensional separation allows for higher sensitivities as well as better peaks separation and identification. Although GCxGC has been already proposed for wine characterization, the applications on distillates (and more specifically on grappa) are scarce.
The aim of this study is to apply SPME GC-MS and SPME GCxGC-ToF-MS to investigate the evolution of the volatile profile of a commercial young grappa over storage in relation to its sensory profile. Preliminary results showed that, the most abundant classes of compounds were ethyl esters, terpenes, linear aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes.
Article based on the poster presented at the at the 12th edition of Enoforum (Vicenza, Italy, May 21-23, 2019).
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