Abstract
Grappa is one of the most important Italian distillates and its production is allowed only from grapes produced and processed in Italy. It is obtained from fermented or semi-fermented grape marc (DM n. 747, 2016), which is a by-product of the winemaking process. Grappa is rich in volatile compounds (about 1% v/v) [1] and each compound contributes to the flavour according to its concentration and sensory threshold. This aspect plays a fundamental role in the consumers’ preference of the different styles of grappa present on the market. The constant application of new and improved reliable analytical tools is fundamental to achieve a detailed description of a complex aroma profile in relation to its sensory descriptors.
Comprehensive bidimensional gas-chromatography (GCxGC or 2DGC) is at the forefront of the technical innovation in volatile compounds analysis. With respect to mono-dimensional GC-MS (1D), the bidimensional (2D) separation allows for higher sensitivities as well as better peaks separation and identification of co-eluting compounds. Although GCxGC has been already proposed for the characterization of distillates [2-8], the applications specifically on grappa are rare. The aim of this study is to apply Head Space (HS) Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) coupled on-line with GC-MS analysis and SPME-GCxGC-ToF-MS to investigate the volatile profile of a commercial young grappa in relation to its sensory profile.