Nowadays, the development of naturality concept is illustrated in the oenological field by the development of wine produced without the addition of SO2. Among its chemical properties, SO2 is able to react with carbonyl compounds to form carbonyl bisulfites. Acetaldehyde and diacetyl are the main carbonyl compounds of red wines, which could influence product perception. The goal of this paper was to evaluate their chemical and sensory impact in red wines produced without any addition of SO2. A first quantification approach revealed a lower concentration of these compounds in wines without added SO2 than in those produced with SO2. A sensory approach involving aromatic reconstitutions in wines in the presence or absence of SO2 revealed that analytical differences observed for acetaldehyde and diacetyl were able to impact wine freshness, with diacetyl being, moreover, involved in wine fruity aroma changes.
Keywords: acetaldehyde; carbonyl bisulfite; diacetyl; sensory analysis; wine without sulfites.