Ong, P. and Acree, T.E.

Similarities in the Aroma Chemistry of Gewurztraminer Variety Wines and Yychee (Litchi chinesis Sonn.) Fruit,

GC/O analysis of canned lychees indicated that cis -rose oxide, linalool, ethyl isohexanoate, geraniol, furaneol, vanillin, (E)-2-nonenal, §-damascenone, isovaleric acid, and (E)-furan linalool oxide were the most odor potent compounds detected in the fruit extracts. However, on the basis of calculated odor activity values (OAVs), cis-rose oxide, §-damascenone, linalool, furaneol, ethyl isobutyrate, (E)-2-nonenal, ethyl isohexanoate, geraniol, and ś-decalactone were determined to be the main contributors of canned lychee aroma. When these results were compared with GC/O results of fresh lychees and Gewurztraminer wine, 12 common odor-active volatile compounds were found in all three products. These included cis-rose oxide, ethyl hexonoate/ ethyl isohexanoate, §-damascenone, linalool, ethyl isobutyrate, geranoil, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, 2-phenylethanol, furaneol, vanillin, citronellol, and phenethyl acetate. On the basis of OAVs, cis-rose oxide has the highest values among the common odorants in the three products, indicating its importance to the aroma of both lychee fruit and Gewurztraminer wines. Other compounds that had significant OAVs included §-damascenone, linalool, furaneol, ethyl hexonoate, and geraniol. This indicated that while differences exist in the aroma profile of lychee and Gewurztraminer, the commonodorants detected in both fruit and wine, particularly cis-rose oxide, were responsible for the lychee aroma in Gewurztraminer wine. When headspace SPME was used as a rapid analytical tool to detect the levels of selected aroma compounds deemed important to lychee aroma in Gewurztraminer-type wines, cis-rose oxide, linalool, and geraniol were found to be at relatively higher levels in Gewurztraminers. No cis-rose oxide was detected in the control wines (Chardonnay and Riesling), while lower leels were detected in the Gewurztraminer-hybrid wine Traminette. Gewurztraminers produced in the Alsace region showed differences in the levels of the 3 monoterpenes when compared to those from New York State, which could be attributed to differences in viticultural and enological practices between regions.