Decoding Cretan Wines: Phenolic Profiling of Greek Indigenous Wine Varieties Using LC-QTOF-MS

Area of Science:

• Oenology and Viticulture
• Analytical Chemistry
• Food Science

Background:

• Indigenous Cretan grape varieties possess unique genetic resources for winemaking.
• Limited scientific data exists on the detailed chemical composition of these lesser-known cultivars.
• Phenolic compounds significantly influence wine's sensory properties and health benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively characterize the phenolic profile of 12 indigenous Cretan grape varieties.
• To identify varietal differences in phenolic composition between white and red Cretan wines.
• To establish a foundation for understanding the impact of phenolics on Cretan wine quality.

Main Methods:

• Targeted liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS) for 45 phenolic compounds.
• Statistical analyses including Welch's ANOVA, Games-Howell post hoc tests, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA).
• Multifactor Analysis (MFA) integrating phenolic data with classical wine indices.

Main Results:

• Significant varietal differences in phenolic profiles were observed across the 12 Cretan grape varieties.
• Red wines displayed more pronounced variety-specific phenolic structuring compared to white wines.
• Specific phenolic compounds were identified as key markers for differentiating white wine varieties.

Conclusions:

• This study provides the first detailed phenolic characterization of 12 key indigenous Cretan grape varieties.
• The findings highlight the potential of these unique cultivars in producing high-quality wines with distinct characteristics.
• Understanding phenolic composition is crucial for preserving and promoting Cretan wine heritage.