Variety and year: Two key factors on amino acids and biogenic amines content in grapes

Amino acids have proved to play a key role in the development of volatile compounds present in wine with determining repercussions on the final wine bouquets. Biogenic amines originate from the chemical transformations of amino acids found in various foods, a phenomenon that has given rise to several health-related concerns among consumers. In the present research, the evaluation of two of the most influential factors: variety (genetic) and year (climatic conditions) on these compounds in grapes has been performed. Eight Vitis vinifera varieties have been collected during three years and the content of nineteen amino acids, two biogenic amines, and the ammonium ion has been quantified using the HPLC-PDA technique. The genetic factor has proved to be an influential variable (p-value < 0.05) with mean values of amino acids ranging from 896.89 to 1713.79 mg/L and of biogenic amines ranging from 10.61 to 22.28 mg/L. The climatic conditions have shown to be an influential factor as well (p-value < 0.05), being the low temperatures and rainfall and the high solar radiation favour the development of the amino acid and avoid biogenic amines accumulation in grapes.