Formation and occurrence of flavor components in Noble muscadine wine

Flavor development in Noble muscadine wine during fermentation and aging was determined with a combined gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. The source of 2-phenylethanol, a major aroma component of the wine, is predominantly through biosynthesis during the vinification process, although the alcohol was also found to be present in fresh muscadine grape skin. The involvement of substituted benzene derivatives in the formation of phenyl ethanol during fermentation and aging of wines is proposed. The complexity of the volatile aroma extracts increased with time, especially after fermentable sugars were exhausted. Anaerobic formation of fatty acid esters also commenced after active fermentation had ceased. These compounds constitute major components of the aged muscadine wine. Effluent sniffing indicated that many odorous compounds including phenyl ethanol and methyl succinate contribute significantly to the muscadine wine aroma.