###### Abstract  
_Vitis vinifera_ L. cv. Moscato includes different varieties mainly used to produce sweet wines, such as fortified wines. Moscato grapes are characterized by a large number of free and glycosylated monoterpenoids giving very aromatic wines. However, the literature data on the aroma profile of fortified Moscato wines are very limited. In light of this, the present research aimed to investigate the aroma compounds, mainly the varietal ones, of fortified wines from different Moscato varieties, namely Giallo (Yellow), Bianco (White), Bianco at Petit Grain (Blanc a Petits Grains), Ottonel and Rosa (Pink of Trentino), cultivated under the same pedoclimatic conditions. Using the HS-SPME-GC-MS (head space-solid phase micro extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) technique, numerous varietal and fermentative aroma compounds have been identified and quantified and significant differences were observed among varieties in the levels of mostly volatiles and in their ratios. Based on their composition, the studied wines can be divided in two groups depending on whether linalool or geraniol prevails among varietal aromas. These results are evidence that each Moscato variety has a typical varietal aroma composition, even if some similarities were found between the two white varieties, and between Moscato Giallo and Moscato Ottonel varieties. Moscato Rosa showed a peculiar aroma composition and the lowest ester/terpene ratio.  
M 17 September 2021 2020 20 October 2021 22 October  
as Moscato in Italy, Moscatel in America, Spain, and Portugal, Moscato a petits grains, Frontignan, Lunel or d'Alsace in France, Gelber muskateller in Germany and Tamiosa in Romania [5].  
In Europe, Moscato Bianco (white Muscat) is the most cultivated variety, the oldest and most valuable; it is used for the production of the Italian Moscato d'Asti and for many French fortified wines known as vin doux natures. Moscato Giallo (yellow Muscat) is widespread in Trentino Alto Adige (North-east region of Italy) with the name of Golden muskateller, where sparkling wines called Moscato Fi d'Arancio are also produced. Moscato di Alessandria (Muscat of Alexandria), also known as Zbibibo, is mainly cultivated in Pantelleria which is a Sicilian Island located in the middle of the Strait of Sicily (110 km SW from Sicily and 70 EN from Tunisia). Other varieties have been developed over the centuries, including Moscato Rosa (pink Muscat) mainly cultivated in Trentino Alto Adige where it is known as Rosen muskateller, Moscato Ottonel, and Moscato Petit-grain (Muscat blanc a Petits Grains) widespread in east Europe and limited to the north-west regions of Italy.  
Despite increasing interest in sweet dessert wines, to the best of our knowledge, limited data have been reported in literature on the composition of fortified Moscato wines [6; 7; 8]. Moreover, little attention has been given to the aromatic volatile constituents determinant for the wine sensory features, and even less to the varietal aroma, such as mono and sesquiterpenes, except for some Portuguese Moscato varieties [7], and Moscato Nero d'Acqui (black Muscat) [8], an ancient aromatic Italian red grape variety sporadically found in old vineyards in the provinces of Asti and Alessandria (North Italy).  
The knowledge of the terpenic profiles of the aromatic _Vitis vinifera_ varieties, such as Moscato, is of great interest in enology and it is well known that terpene presence and concentration in grapes and wines depend, other than variety, on several factors, like cultivar, climate, soil, agricultural practices, phytotechnology and physiology of the vineyard, grape health status, and degree of ripeness of the grape [9; 10; 11].  
As reported above, the aim of this work is to investigate the aroma compounds of fortified wines obtained from the most widespread Moscato varieties, cultivated under the same pedoclimatic conditions; a great attention will be given to the varietal aromas and mainly to the amount of terpen considered key aroma compounds for Moscato wines.