Impact Analytical | Wine Analysis

As outlined below, several techniques may be applied to characterize the differences between wines.

Headspace analysis: Cyrogenic focussing of volatile compounds present in the headspace above a sample of wine, followed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometric analysis yields results related to the aroma of the wine. Easily identified compounds include ethanol, ethyl acetate, and several C-5 alcohols. Several minor components can also be detected. Different wines yield different distributions of components.

Liquid phase volatile analysis by GC: Direct injection of neat wine samples into a conventional gas chromatograph, followed by flame ionization detection also leads to quantitation of various species found in the liquid sample. These results are similar to those found using headspace analysis, but components relate to the taste, as well as the aroma of the wine.

Liquid phase analysis by HPLC: Direct injection of neat wine samples into an HPLC device coupled with either ultraviolet or diode-array detection leads to chromatograms representing a "fingerprint" (either two or three dimensional) of the particular wine sample (see below). Different wines have been found to contain differing components, as well as differing ratios of similar components. These results can be related to the taste and color of the wine sample.