Feasibility of an electronic nose to differentiate commercial Spanish wines elaborated from the same grape variety

Five wines obtained from the same grape variety and viticultural zone were analyzed by gas chromatographic (GC), chemical (CA) and electronic nose (E-Nose) techniques. The principal component (PC) analysis based on the concentration of 11 volatile compounds, volatile acidity, ethanol, glycerol and 2,3-butanediol provides 2 PCs allowing 5 different groups to be established. Nevertheless 4 different groups of wines were obtained by means of the first 2 PCs from E-Nose data. Wines with an ethanol content of 18% (v/v) and different concentration in ethyl esters were not discriminated by the E-Nose, showing that new sensors will be required for its differentiation. A good linear correlation (R = 0.909) was obtained between a combination of the PCs from the E-Nose data and those from GC-CA. The E-Nose is revealed as a rapid tool to differentiate among wines obtained by different elaboration techniques, helping to protect the quality of wines produced in the Protected Denominations of Origin.

► Five wine types were differentiated using their composition in major wine-volatiles. ► Only 4 groups for the 5 wine types were differentiated by the electronic nose. ► The electronic nose cannot differentiate wines with similar sensorial characteristics. ► A linear relation between composition in wine-volatiles and E-Nose was established. ► E-Nose is a powerful tool for the classification of commercial sherry type wines.