Odor Analysis of Pinot Noir Wines from Grapes of Different Maturities by a Gas Chromatography‐Olfactometry Technique (Osme)

ABSTRACT Pinot noir character varies significantly with vintage and with maturity within a given vintage. Our objective was to use a gas chromatography‐olfactometry technique (Osme) to compare odor profiles of Pinot noir wines from grapes harvested at different maturities, during 1987 and 1988. Odor profiles of Pinot noir wines from those years were very different from each other with only 4 odor‐active peaks common to both vintages. Wines made with grapes harvested at the end of the ripening period had more odor‐active peaks than wines from earlier harvested fruit. The 1988 wines had more odor‐active peaks than the 1987 wines.