Agricultura no. 1 –2 (109-110)/2019 Agriculture 29 ODOR ACTIVITY VALUE IN RED WINES AROMA FROM THREE WINE REGIONS IN ROMANIA Manolache Mihail 1 , Anamaria Călugăr 1 , Nastasia Pop 1 , Emese Gal 2 , Tiberia Ioana Pop 3* 1 University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Horticulture, Advanced Horticultural Research Institute of Transylvania, 3-5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; 2 Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 11 Arany Janos str.,400028, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; 3 University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, 3-5 Mănăștur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania *corresponding author: tiberia.pop@usamvcluj.ro Abstract. Four monovarietal red wines from three wine regions in Romania were analysed (Cabernet Sauvignon, Fetească neagră and Pinot noir from two areas in Satu Mare and Fetească neagră and Merlot from Constanța) in a liquid-liquid extraction with dichloromethane by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The odor activity value (OAV) was calculated in the 29 aroma compounds identified: 10 alcohols, 11 esters, 5 fatty acids, 1 lactone and 2 other compounds. Wines were differentiated by specific compounds and 22 of the volatile compounds had an OAV>1 (7 alcohols, 9 esters, 5 fatty acids and 1 lactone), significantly contributing to wine aromas. All chemicals changed in the volatile composition: most alcohols and acids increased during ageing, while all esters increased with ageing time. According to their OAVs, aroma strongly influenced the characteristics of the four monovarietal wines. Keywords: aroma, esters, alchools, fatty acids, Romanian red wines INTRODUCTION When buying wines, costumers usually consider the flavor as one of the most important attributes. Researchers all over the world recently identified and quantified many aroma compounds in monovariety and regional wines. Aroma is one of the most important factors determining the character and quality of wine (Vilanova et al., 2007, 2013). Aroma compounds can be released directly from the grape berries, while others are formed through fermentation and aging (Rapp, 1998). Around 600 to 800 volatile compounds such as alcohols, esters, organic acids, aldehydes, ethers, ketones, and terpenes, etc., have been identified in wines, although only some compounds contribute in the organoleptic perception of wine (Polaskova, 2008). Higher alcohols, acids, and esters are found in large quantities and are important for the sensory properties and quality of wine (Wang et al., 2016). Qualitative and quantitative characterizations of volatile compounds in wine are performed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), as one of the most sensitive techniques for the analysis of volatile compounds in wine (Polaskova, 2008; Bleiziffer et al., 2017). Also, the flavor characters of aroma compounds separated by GC column are analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry (GC-O) (Lee and Noble, 2003). However, not all the aroma compounds detected by GC can produce flavor. Those with concentrations lower than their olfactometry threshold cannot be perceived by the human olfactory system. Therefore, in some literature references, odor active value (OAV) is used to express the odor activity of aroma compounds in wine. OAV calculation measures the concentration and threshold of the odor in the same matrix. Only those odorants with an OAV > 1 can be perceived and contribute to the whole aroma of the wine. The aroma and