Wine Chemistry and Biochemistry

278 D. Dubourdieu and T. Tominaga

Ta b l e 8 B. 1 (continued)

XII: 2-Methyl-3-sulfanylbutan-1-ol 1745

onion

OH

SH

XIII: Benzenemethanethiol n.d. Smoky

SH

XIV: 3-Sulfanylpentan-1-ol 1772 Grapefruit OH

SH

XV: 2-Methyl-3-sulfanylpentan-1-ol 1833 Raw

onion

OH

SH

XVI: 3-Sulfanyl-hexyl acetate n.d. Box-tree O

SH O

XVII: 3-Sulfanylhexan-1-ol 1857 Passion

fruit

Grapefruit

OH

SH

XVIII: 3-Sulfanylheptan-1-ol 1956 Grapefruit OH

SH

Raw

These volatile thiols are also present in wines made from otherVitis vinifera

grape varieties (Tominaga et al. 2000a). Concentrations of 4MSPOH and 3SH
are particularly high in white Muscat d’Alsace and Gew`‘urztraminer from Alsace,

respectively (Fig. 8B.1) (Tominaga et al. 2001). Thus, 4MSPOH gives Muscat wines

their “Sauvignon blanc” aroma, while 3SH, with its hints of grapefruit and tropical

fruit, makes a significant contribution to Gew ̈urztraminer aromas.

Ta b l e 8 B. 2Assay of volatile thiols (ng/L) in fourwhite Bordeaux wines made from Sauvignon
blanc 1996 vintage (Tominaga et al. 1998a)

Compounds Samples
12 34

4-Methyl-4-sulfanylpentan-2-one 5(6) 4(5) 10(13) 4(5)
4-Methyl-4-sulfanylpentan-2-ol 18(0.3) 20(0.4) 22(0.4) 20(0.4)
3-Sulfanylhexan-1-ol 8402(140) 12822(214) 7465(123) 3736(63)
3-Sulfanylhexyl acetate 724(181) 451(113) 451(113) 275(69)
Entries in parentheses are the aromatic index of each compound: concentration/perception
threshold