Sub-regions shape the characteristics of Marselan dry red wines: Insights from integrated volatile profiles and sensory evaluation

Abstract

Marselan is a rapidly emerging cultivar in China, but the volatile plasticity of its wines across sub-regional terroir remains unclear. To address this, 21 commercial wines from 4 sub-regions (Helan/HL, Xixia/XX, Yongning/YN, Qingtongxia/QTX) in Ningxia were collected. The volatiles were determined by GC-MS, and the sensory characteristics were evaluated by check-all-that-apply (CATA) and quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA). Results showed that HL and QTX wines exhibited elevated branched higher alcohols and esters, XX contained higher fatty acids, terpenes, and C₁₃-norisoprenoids, YN had higher furans and volatile phenols. The regional typicity of Marselan wines was marked by CATA descriptors like blackberry, redberry, and vanilla/cream, with QDA confirming the highest floral intensity in YN. The correlation analysis revealed terpenes and C₁₃-norisoprenoids play important roles in fruity and floral notes. This study provides insights into the terroir-driven volatile modification among sub-regions and the connection between aroma and sensory matrix.

Keywords: Climate; Parcel; Sensory evaluation; Vitis vinifera; Volatile profiles.