From chemical signatures to consumer preference: Decoding bottle and barrel aging effects on Aronia melanocarpa wines...

This study comprehensively evaluated the phytochemical and organoleptic evolution of Aronia melanocarpa wines aged for 12 months in glass bottles and oak barrels. Integrated analytical approaches-including CIELab color space, phenolic profiling, antioxidant capacity assays, headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS), electronic tongue, and Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) consumer testing-revealed distinct aging dynamics. Barrel aging caused 96.2% anthocyanin loss, shifting wine color to reddish-brown, while bottle aging preserved greater color stability (retaining 42.6% of anthocyanins). HS-GC-IMS identified 65 volatile compounds; barrel aging increased oxidative markers (e.g., 3-penten-2-one and 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone) and oak-derived notes (e.g., cocoa and coconut), whereas bottle aging enhanced tertiary aromas characterized by spicy, tobacco, and leather nuances. Electronic tongue and CATA analyses confirmed both aging methods improved taste profiles by reducing sourness and mitigating astringency/bitterness aftertastes. Bottle-aged wine demonstrated superior consumer preference (54.24% first-choice ranking) due to its fruity aroma, deeper color, and balanced taste.