Aroma properties of young Spanish monovarietal white wines: a study using sorting task, list of terms and frequency of citation

Background and Aims: Little is known about the distinguishing role of variety on the sensory space of commercial white monovarietal Spanish wines. The major aims of the present research were to define the sensory space of these wines and to assess the actual influence of grape variety by means of a two-step sensory methodology. Methods and Results: Similarity between wines was first studied by a sorting task followed by multidimensional scaling analysis. Then, sensory descriptive analysis (DA) based on citation frequencies was performed on individual products. Descriptive data were analysed by correspondence analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc were the only varietals similarly perceived and described by the panel, being tropical fruit as their major descriptor. No clear grouping on the basis of grape variety was observed for the rest of the products, which were clustered into three different groups. The first group contained wines with fruity (white fruit), spicy and floral properties, but the two others contained wines defined with untypical and unfavourable descriptors (vegetal, leather, animal, undergrowth). Conclusions: Sorting task coupled with DA based on citation frequencies is a suitable tool to classify samples and finely describe wine aroma. Leaving aside Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc, grape variety is not a major factor in defining the aroma properties of Spanish commercial wines; some of which develop some unfavourable descriptors. Significance of the Study: The role of neutral varietals to increase the diversity of the sensory space of wines should be revisited.