AROMA CHARACTERIZATION OF COMMERCIAL RED WINES OF zyx URUGUAY ADRIANA GAMBARO', PAULA VARELA', EDUARDO BOD@, ANA GIMENEZ', KARINA MEDINAZ.3 zyxw and FRANCISCO CARRAU2 zy 'Seccidn Evaluacidn Sensorial Cbtedra de Ciencia y Tecnologia de Alimentos Facultad de Quimica Universidad de la Repliblica Montevideo, Uruguay 2SeccidnEnologia Facultad de Qufmica Universidad de la Repliblica Montevideo, Uruguay Received for Publication November 14, 2002 ABSTRACT Aroma evaluation of zyxwv 14 commercial red wines zyx of the Uruguayan market (5 Tannat, 5 Cabemet Sauvignon and 4 Merlot) was done by descriptive analysis. Generalized Procrustes Analysis applied to the data allowed differentiating among the three groups of samples and obtaining sensory attributes that were responsible for these observed differences. The samples of Tannat were differentiated from Cabemet and Merlot samples and their aroma profile was characterized by secondary and tertiary descriptors 08 berry (blackcurrant), dried fruit @rune), resinous (oak), spicy (liquorice) and microbiological (yeasty). INTRODUCTION Aroma of young wines is the result of biochemical and technological sequences during several steps of the winemaking process. The way grapes are managed in the vineyard, during the harvest and juice obtention in the winery (grape destemming, crushing, and pressing technology) have an important impact in the varietal or primary composition of the wine. Although the olfactive properties of many of these compounds are ignored by winemakers and Corresponding author address: Gral. Flores 2124, Montevideo, 11800 Uruguay. FAX: +5982 9241906; EMAIL: kmedina@fq.edu.uy Journal of Sensory Studies 18 (2003) 353-366. zyxwvu All Rights Resewed. @Copyright 2003 by Food zyxwvut & Nutrition Press, Inc., Trumbull, Connecticut. 353