Aromatic profile of Malvasia odorosissima and Malvasia di Candia aromatica grapevines used for white sparkling wines

Aromatic and anthocyanin characterisation of local grape cultivars was carried out under a project funded by AGER (2010-2104), called “An Italian Vitis database with multidisciplinary approach for exploitation and valorisation of the regional genotypes”, as implementation of the Italian Vitis Database platform (www.vitisdb.it). Malvasia odorosissima (MO) and Malvasia di Candia aromatica (MC) are both aromatic white grapes [Vitis vinifera L., 1753]. Genetic information is now available on the pedigree and genetic relationships linking the two varieties. MC is widely cultivated in the provinces of Piacenza, Parma and Reggio Emilia, as well as in Oltrepò Pavese (Northern Italy) and broadly used for manufacturing sweet and dry, sparkling, semi-sparkling, and still white wines. Conversely, MO is almost unknown, even though historical records and local tradition attest its oenological potential. Known at least since the XIX century in Emilia Romagna, MO is currently on the brink of extinction and it has often been replaced in the vineyards by the higher yielding MC. The increasing interest in Malvasia wines on the international market opens good perspective for the re-proposal of underexploited Malvasia cultivars for the oenological products diversification. The supposed richness of the aromatic profile of MO is an important feature for its oenological exploitation. The aim of this study is to define the peculiarities of the aromatic profile of MO in comparison with MC. Results provided the aromatic characterization of MO for the first time. Free and glycosylated aroma compounds of samples of the two varieties harvested during two consecutive vintages were determined by solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by GC-MS analysis. Geraniol and its derivatives were the most abundant set of volatiles. Conversely to MC and other aromatic varieties, MO showed a small amount of glycosylated volatiles, thus almost completely expressing its aromatic potential. The abundance of free terpenoids in the aromatic profile of MO, in even higher levels than in MC, is a major feature for the oenological exploitation of its grapes. Moreover, MO solely presented some peculiar volatiles, the rose oxides. These compounds bring the MO near to the White Muscat, consistently with the parent-offspring relationship recently ascertained between these two varieties.