# Characterization of the Aroma Profile of Commercial Prosecco Sparkling Wines
###### Abstract  
In this work, the aromatic characterization of commercially available Prosecco wines with a price range between EUR 7 and 13 was carried out. These wines came from three different areas of origin: Valdobbiadene, Asolo and Treviso. Seventy volatile compounds were identified and quantified in the wines. Quantitatively, the wines were mainly characterized by compounds of fermentation origin (alcohols, acids, esters), and C\({}_{6}\)-alcohols, and to a lesser extent, terpenes, low molecular weight volatile sulfur compounds (VSC), and benzenoids. To determine their impact on the aroma of Prosecco wine, the respective OAVs were calculated. The molecules with higher OAV were ethyl hexanoate, isoamyl acetate, and \(\beta\)-damascenone. More generally, esters, responsible for fruity notes, seemed to play a major role in the aroma of Prosecco wine. Investigation into the possible effect of different production zones indicated 16 significantly different compounds accounting for differences between the various areas of origin of the wines, being mostly VSC, esters and C\({}_{6}\)-alcohols. A sensory evaluation through a sorting task highlighted the formation of clusters; wine samples were divided into two main groups partially attributable to the areas of origin. From a chemical point of view, cluster A was richer in esters, while cluster B had, on average, higher concentrations of compounds associated with wine aging such as cyclic terpenes, norisoprenoids (TDN and vitsipirane), and VSC.  
Prosecco; sparkling wine; volatile compounds; SPME; GC-MS +
Footnote †: journal:  
Champenoise, and in some cases, consumer preference in blind tasting has been shown to lean towards Charmat wines. Furthermore, Charmat wines are usually produced more quickly compared with Champenoise wines, which are usually destined for long bottle-aging periods. There is, therefore, great interest in acquiring information in order to assist winemakers in developing production processes adapted to wine characteristics.  
An extensive zonation study of Prosecco appellation area has been undertaken in an effort to assess terroirs and cru vineyards [3], resulting in the definition of the high-quality DOCG sub-areas \"Asolo\", \"Conegliano-Valdobbiadene\" and \"Cartilagee\".  
A volatile chemical profile plays an important role in the quality of sparkling wines, as it determines the olfactory characteristics of the product and, therefore, consumer preferences [4].  
Many factors influence the volatile chemical profile of sparkling wines including production method, grape variety, base wine production method, grape origin, yeast strain, aging periods and lees contact [5; 6].  
Prosecco wines are described with aroma notes of peach, pear, wisteria, flowers, ripe fruit, citrus fruit, spice and sage, with differences due to the sub-areas of grape production [3]. Regarding the chemical composition of Prosecco wine, few works have studied the profile of the volatile compounds responsible for its olfactory bouquet. GC-MS analysis of aroma compounds in Glera grapes showed the presence of glycoconjugated precursors of terpenoids, in particular, geraniol and cis-8-OH-linalool, and also of benzenoids such as phenylethanol and benzyl alcohol, all in the order of a few hundred \(\mu\)g/L [3; 7].  
Many studies have been undertaken on aspects of consumer preferences, marketing, and economics related to Prosecco, but few studies have analyzed the chemical composition of the wine. Some articles have investigated the mineral composition of wine for authentication purposes [8; 9]. This study has two aims: to provide an extensive chemical and sensory characterization of the volatile composition of commercial Prosecco wines; and to investigate the influence of three geographic origins, considered in the PDO regulation, on aroma compounds and sensory characteristics.