DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF 3 WHITE WINE VARIETIES FROM PENEDES

Spanish white wines from the Penedes area in Catalonia were evaluated by descriptive analysis by 17 trained judges. Eight aroma terms differ ed significantly across wines and were used for principal component an alysis. The first principal component (PC) contrasted wines high in fl oral, citrus, and black pepper aromas with those high in nutty aroma. The second PC separated wines higher in tropical fruit and caramel ver sus those with greater intensity of shoe polish (anise) and bell peppe r descriptors. Macabeo wines were characterized by higher intensity of nutty and shoe polish attributes, while Xarel.lo wines were highest i n tropical fruit, black pepper and floral and Parellada wines were hig her in intensity of citrus aroma. By discriminant analysis, the wines could be correctly classified by variety using only the shoe polish an d floral terms.