Polydimethylsiloxane solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography method for the analysis of volatile compounds in wines. Its application to the characterization of varietal wines.

A study was made of the validity of the solid-phase microextraction method, using a polydimethylsiloxane coated fused-silica fiber, for the extraction-desorption of the minor volatile compounds from wine before their gas chromatographic analysis. The aspects considered were the influence of ethanol on extraction, repeatability, limits of detection, linearity and recovery of compounds. This method, together with the direct injection of the major volatile compounds, was applied to 16 varietal wines. The findings indicate that the method is a highly suitable technique for the analysis of wines and that the volatile composition of wines depends, at least partly, on the grapes with which they have been made.