Abstract
This study investigates the metabolome of 26 experimental cool-climate wines made from 22 grape varieties using two different protocols for wine analysis by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) spectroscopy. The wine samples were analyzed as-is (wet) and as dried samples. The NMR datasets were preprocessed by alignment and mean centering. No normalization or scaling was performed. The "wet" method preserved the inherent properties of the samples and provided a fast and effective overview of the molecular composition of the wines. The "dried" method yielded a slightly better sensitivity towards a broader range of the compounds present in wines. A total of 27 metabolites including amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and alkaloids were identified in the ¹H-NMR spectra of the wine samples. Principal component analysis was performed on both NMR datasets evidencing well-defined molecular fingerprints for 'Baco Noir', 'Bolero', 'Cabernet Cantor', 'Cabernet Cortis', 'Don Muscat', 'Eszter', 'Golubok', 'New York Muscat', 'Regent', 'Rondo', 'Triomphe d'Alsace', 'Précose Noir', and 'Vinoslivy' wines. Amongst the identified metabolites, lactic acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, gallic acid, glycerol, and methanol were found to drive sample groupings. The ¹H-NMR data was compared to the absolute concentration values obtained from a reference Fourier transform infrared method, evidencing a high correlation.