## 4 Conclusions  
This study offers an in-depth analysis of the impact of maceration duration, pre-fermentation heating, and barrel aging on the aroma and sensory profiles of Teran red wine. The results reveal that pre-fermentation heating at 45 \({}^{\circ}\)C followed by 8 days of maceration and extended 21-day post-fermentation maceration significantly reduced the concentrations of most free volatile compounds compared to the control, with the exception of particular tertiary aromas. Despite these reductions, wines from these treatments were characterized by enhanced sensory attributes. Notably, wines from the extended 21-day post-fermentation maceration were characterized by pronounced notes of dried fruit, herbs, and aromatic herbs, with a marked increase in fruity characteristics. This effect is likely due to high concentrations of impactful volatile compounds, such as \(\beta\)-damascenone. The influence of other unidentified compounds cannot be excluded. A similar effect was observed in wine of the pre-fermentation heating treatment, where high ethyl hexanoate concentrations might have played a decisive role. Conversely, shorter maceration treatments of 7 and 10 days resulted in higher concentrations of the majority of free volatile aroma compounds, but with lower intensities of some sensory attributes. It seems that volatile compounds that commonly dominant in white wine aromas, such as ethyl octanoate and isoamyl acetate, did not exhibit the same dominance in shaping the sensory profile of a red wine such as Teran. The corresponding descriptors often associated with these compounds, such as apple, peach, pear, banana, etc., were not selected as the characteristic Teran attributes in sensory analysis, suggesting that the typical odors produced by these compounds were significantly modulated by interaction with other aromas. The impact of six months of oak barrel aging was substantial, significantly enhancing the concentration of free volatile aroma compounds, particularly enhancing those from the groups of C\({}_{13}\)-norisoprenoids, volatile phenols, furans, and lactones. Following aging, all treatments exhibited prominent fruity aromas. Notably, treatments combining extended post-fermentation maceration or pre-fermentation heating with oak aging resulted in wines with intensified notes of dried fruit, jam, and liqueur. These findings emphasize the critical roles of maceration duration, pre-fermentation heating, and barrel aging in shaping the aromatic profile and sensory characteristics of Teran wines. The insights gained are essential in refining viinification techniques and optimizing the quality of Teran wines, thus maximizing the potential of this unique variety.  
Conceptualization, [PERSON] ([PERSON]) and [PERSON] ([PERSON]); methodology, [PERSON] ([PERSON]), [PERSON] ([PERSON]) and I.L.; formal analysis, S.R. ([PERSON]), E.B., F.O., and I.H.; investigation, S.R. ([PERSON]) and S.R. ([PERSON]); resources, S.R. ([PERSON]) and S.R. ([PERSON]); data curation, S.R. ([PERSON]) and S.R. ([PERSON]); writing--original draft preparation, S.R. ([PERSON]); writing--review and editing, E.B., F.O., I.H., L.A.S.I.P., M.B., T.P. and S.R. ([PERSON]); visualization, S.R. ([PERSON]) and S.R. ([PERSON]); supervision, S.R. ([PERSON]); project administration, S.R. ([PERSON]); funding acquisition, S.R. ([PERSON]). All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
Croatian Science Foundation, Research project \"Influence of different viinification technologies on the qualitative characteristics of wines from Croatian autochthonous varieties: The role of wine in human diet\"--VINUM SANUM (IP-2018-01-5049) and the project \"Young Researchers\" Career Development Project--Training New Doctoral Students\" HRZZ-DOK-2018-09-5004).  
Not applicable.  
The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors without undue reservation.  
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.