Characterisation of local varieties of peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batch] and grapevine [Vitis vinifera L., 1753]

The profile of chemical components involved in the sensory and technological values of local minor cultivars of peach and grapevine were investigated. Pescabivona (Bivona, Sicily, Italy) is an autochthonous cultivar of white flesh peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batch] that includes four landraces: Murtiddara, Bianca, Agostina, and Settembrina. They are characterised by different ripening times that cover entirely the summer season from the end of June (Murtiddara) until the end of September (Settembrina). The samples of each landrace were harvested at a “ready-to-eat” ripening stage at three different altitudes. The main results showed high figures of flesh firmness along with a balanced sugar/acidity ratio, in particular for the late ripening landraces. The chance of tasting firm fruits at physiology ripeness and with a pleasant sensory profile as showed by Pescabivona is very infrequent. Malvasia odorosissima is a little known aromatic grapevine (Vitis vinifera L., 1753) variety that is often confused with Malvasia di Candia aromatica. Both give aromatic white grapes growing in the Emilia Romagna region. Free and glycosylated volatiles of the two varieties harvested during two consecutive vintages were determined by solid phase extraction followed by GC-MS analysis. Results provided the aromatic profile of Malvasia odorosissima for the first time. Conversely to Malvasia di Candia aromatica and other aromatic varieties, Malvasia odorosissima showed a very small amount of glycosylated volatiles, thus almost completely expressing its aromatic potential. The abundance of free terpenoids in the aromatic profile of Malvasia odorosissima is a major feature for the oenological exploitation of its grapes.