COMPOSITION OF WINES FROM INTERNATIONAL CULTIVARS GROWN IN ATLANTIC CLIMATE (GALICIA, NW SPAIN) Mar Vilanova 1* , Zlatina Genisheva 2 , María Graña 3 , Antón Masa 1 and José M. Oliveira 2 1 Misión Biolóxica de Galicia (CSIC). PO Box 28, 38080, Pontevedra (España) 2 IBB-Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centre of Biological Engineering, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057 Braga (Portugal) 3 EVEGA, Estación de Viticultura y Enología de Galicia, Ribadumia (España) *Corresponding author: mvilanova@mbg.cesga.es ABSTRACT Different Vitis vinifera international cultivars as Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Pinot noir, Tempranillo, Sauvignon blanc, Riesling, Chardonay, Pinot gris, Pinot blanc and Gewürztraminer are grown in Estación de Viticultura y Enología de Galicia (EVEGA) Collection (Ribadumia-Pontevedra) situated in the coast Atlantic from Galicia (Spain). Varietal and fermentative aroma compounds, were identified and quantified in wines by GC-FID, which include terpenes and C 13 -norisoprenoids, alcohols, acids, esters, phenol volatiles and C 6 compounds. The results shown important differences in varietal composition with wines produced in other international geographic areas. INTRODUCTION Galicia is situated in the NW Spain of the Iberian Peninsula, just north of Portugal and so sharing a mild, maritime climate, certain vine species and a number of long-standing viticultural traditions. The situation is racing the Atlantic ocean with its rain-bearing winds, and the presence of a mountainous barrier running N-S facilite the precipitation of rain from the wet fronts in their course eastward inland and favors areas of rain shadow leeward very suitable for vine growing. In Galicia Atlantic and Mediterranean currents intertwine following dynamics whose results strongly depend on distance from the sea. The aim of this work is know the aromatic characteristics of wines from international cultivars grown in Atlantic climate in NW Spain. MATERIALS AND METHODS Grapes and Wines Ten International Vitis vinifera grape varieties (six white grape varieties and four red grape varieties) grown in Galicia (NW Spain) from 2006 vintage were consider in this study. Monovarietal wine production was carried out in Estación de Viticultura y Enología de Galicia (EVEGA) Winery from Ribadumia (Galicia). All fermentations were conduced in the same conditions. Climatic information is showed in Figures 1 and 2. Annual mean temperature was 15.4 ºC, total sunshine hours was 2573 and total rainfall was 1715 mm. 16th International GiESCO Symposium, University of California, Davis, July 12-15, 2009, pp. 543-546