Résumé
Complex reactions favouring production or retention of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) are crucial for the development of red wine ageing bouquet. This study aimed to investigate the development of certain VSCs in Xinomavro red wines and examine the influence of grape origin on wine composition as it aged. Wines from Amyndeon and Naoussa PDO zones underwent artificial ageing for 24 days, and thiol precursors, varietal thiols, S-methyl-l-methionine (SMM), and dimethyl sulfide (DMS) were analysed periodically. Vineyard location and duration of ageing showed great influence on the analytes measured, with interactions revealed for thiol precursors but not 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol. Changes in SMM and DMS concentrations indicated for the first time that a DMS pro-precursor may exist in bottled Xinomavro wine, with SMM acting as a degradation intermediate. Principal component analysis grouped regional Xinomavro wines according to the chemical transformations determined during bottle ageing.
•Chemical impact of accelerated ageing examined for Xinomavro red wines from Greece.•Varietal thiols and precursors, S-methylmethionine, and dimethyl sulfide assessed.•Stable isotope dilution analysis conducted with GC–MS and UHPLC-MS/MS.•Vineyard location and duration of ageing affected volatiles and their precursors.•Wines from Naoussa appeared to undergo chemical transformation faster than Amyndeon.