beta-Damascenone, a C-13 norisoprenoid compound, is usually presented as an impact odorant in red wines. Its direct contribution to their aroma was investigated. Both free beta-damascenone and beta-damascenone precursors were isolated from various French red wines and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, revealing concentrations in the vicinity of 1 and 2 microg/L for free compounds and both forms, respectively. Gas chromatography-olfactometry analyses were also performed on dilutions of both red wine extracts and pure beta-damascenone. The very low detection threshold in olfactometry for this compound explains why it is found at the highest dilution factor in aroma extract dilution analysis methods. Moreover, determination of beta-damascenone's odor thresholds confirmed the huge importance of the matrix: beta-Damascenone is characterized by a very low perception threshold in hydroalcoholic solution as compared to red wine, where it is over 1000-fold higher. In hydroalcoholic solution, beta-damascenone enhanced fruity notes of ethyl cinnamate and caproate and masked the herbaceous aroma of IBMP. Globally, these results suggested that beta-damascenone has more an indirect than a direct impact on red wine aroma.

A preparative HPLC method, which preserves wine aromas and isolates fruity characteristics in specific fractions, was applied to red wine aroma extracts. Various odor-active zones were detected in typical fractions by GC-O analysis of their extracts. Through further GC-MS analyses, the aromatic compounds responsible for 15 of these odoriferous zones were identified as various ethyl esters and alkyl acetates. In view of their olfactory thresholds, the concentrations of these compounds had no direct impact on the fruity aroma of red wines. Nevertheless, an overall sensory effect of "red-" or "black-berry" nuances was clearly established. Higher than average levels of ethyl propanoate, ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, and ethyl 2-methylbutanoate were involved in black-berry aromas, whereas ethyl butanoate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, and ethyl 3-hydroxybutanoate conferred red-berry aromas.

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Application of aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) on organic extracts from Port wines barrel-aged over 40 years revealed 5 odor-active compounds corresponding to descriptors used to qualify the characteristic old wine aroma. One of the compounds, described as "nutty" and "spicy-like", and present in at least 9 dilutions above the others, was perceived as particularly important. The compound responsible for this flavor was identified as 3-hydroxy-4,5-dimethyl-2(5H)-furanone (sotolon). The levels ranged from 5 to 958 microg/L for wines between 1 and 60 years old. It was also observed that during oxidative aging the concentration of this compound increased with time according to a linear trend (r > 0.95). Although the presence of 2-ketobutyric acid was verified, the constant rate of formation of sotolon with aging and its high correlation with sugar derivates (HMF, furfural) suggests other mechanisms, different from those reported for other wines. The flavor threshold of sotolon was evaluated in Port wine at 19 microg/L. Sensorial tests provided valuable information concerning sotolon impact on Port wine aroma. Samples supplemented with this substance were consistently ranked as older. In view of these results it can be expected that sotolon plays a pre-eminent role in the characteristic old Port wine aroma.

Our study focused on the impact of 12 red wine esters, in complex mixtures, on the perception of fruity aromas. Aromatic reconstructions were prepared in dilute alcohol solution at the average concentrations found in red wines, using pure commercial products. The impact of ethyl propanoate, ethyl-3-hydroxybutanoate, butyl acetate, and 2-methylpropyl acetate was detected by omission tests, although they were present at subthreshold concentrations in the fruity mixture. The "olfactory threshold" of the fruity pool, consisting of all of the esters excluding ethyl propanoate, ethyl-3-hydroxybutanoate, butyl acetate, or 2-methylpropyl acetate was calculated in two different matrices: dilute alcohol solution and dilute alcohol solution supplemented with each of the four compounds mentioned above. The presence of ethyl-3-hydroxybutanoate and 2-methylpropyl acetate in the mixture led to a significant decrease in the olfactory threshold of the fruity pool, demonstrating their synergistic effect in increasing the overall intensity. Sensory profiles revealed that besides ethyl-3-hydroxybutanoate, the omission of each of these compounds had a significant attenuating effect on blackberry and fresh-fruit aroma intensity. These compounds with similar chemical structures participate, both quantitatively and qualitatively, in modulating fruity aromas and, specifically, naturally enhancing blackberry and fresh-fruit aromas.