Progress in wine authentication: GC–C/P–IRMS measurements of glycerol and GC analysis of 2,3-butanediol stereoisomers

The determination of glycerol and 2,3-butanediol by photometric or enzymatic methods is well established. This paper reports on the direct assessment of glycerol and stereoselective analysis of 2,3-butanediol isomers in wine using capillary GC without any derivatisation. A “model wine” and commercially available wines, as well as wines of definite origin were investigated. The contents of glycerol and 2,3-butanediol and the ratio of (R,R)- and meso-2,3-butanediol were determined. Capillary GC has proved to be a reliable alternative in glycerol assessment from wine, thus a GC-IRMS method for authenticity assessment of glycerol was developed.