Chemical and sensory profiles of rosé wines from Australia

Abstract The appeal of rose wine is attributable to its sensory profiles and underlying chemical composition, which are determined by viticultural and oenological inputs. This study provided the first insight into the sensory attributes and volatile profiles of Australian rose wines. An HS-SPME–GC–MS method and a recently developed HPLC–MS/MS method were used to quantify 51 volatile compounds, including 4 potent sulfur compounds, in 26 commercial rose wines. Descriptive analysis on all wines was undertaken and the sensory results were correlated with quantitative chemical data to explore relationships between wine composition and sensory profiles. Based on odour activity values, esters were prominent aroma volatiles, and β-damascenone, 3-methylbutyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate and 3-MHA were deemed to be important, in accord with other studies. Wines were described with terms ranging from developed, spicy and savoury to fresh green, citrus, tropical fruit, floral and confectionery.