| The sensory profiles of fifty (50) Vitis vinifera cv. Malbec wines from twenty-six (26) vineyard sites within the Mendoza Provence, fifteen (15) vineyard sites within California (CA), and nine (9) vineyard sites within Washington State (WA) were characterized using Descriptive Analysis (DA). This study was performed in two parts. Part one analyzed the twenty-six (26) Mendoza Malbec wines within their four departments, or sub-regions. Wines were analyzed using Analysis if Variance (ANOVA) and Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA), and departments were analyzed using CVA. Departments were not found to be significantly different when used as the qualitative variable for CVA. Wines from the department of San Carlos form two groups, and are either balanced around attributes, or described by chocolate, oxidized, sour, and some dried fruit. Tupungato wines are described by sweet and hot by mouthfeel, or are fairly well balanced around attributes but described by wood, earthy, salty, black pepper and herbal. Maipu wines are described by cooked veg, black pepper, hot by aroma, and sweet attributes, and Lujan wines are described by salty and some red fruit. Wines from San Carlos varied the most, followed by those from Tupungato, and Maipu and Lujan, respectively. Some of the mechanisms for terroir-driven differences may include variation among altitudes and soil salinities for the growing sites. Part two analyzed the four (4) Mendoza Malbec wines that displayed the most variance within the group in part one, and the fifteen (15) CA and nine (9) WA Malbec wines. Wines were analyzed using Analysis if Variance (ANOVA) and Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA), and regions (state or province) were analyzed using CVA. Mendoza Province was found to be significantly different from CA and WA when region was used as the qualitative variable for CVA. Mendoza wines are described by astringent, wood, spice, chocolate, smoke, salty, and dried fruit/oxidized. CA wines are described by the absence of grapefruit/citrus, sour, and earthy, and the presence of sweet, red fruit, artificial fruit, VA/EA/SO2, and a small degree of fresh green and cabbage/cooked veg. WA wines are described by sour, black pepper, grapefruit/citrus, floral, and earthy attributes. When analyzed at the sub-regional level, some groupings by CA county and WA American Viticultural Areas (AVA's) are seen, but more samples of each sub-region are needed for analysis. Some of the mechanisms for terroir-driven differences may include site elevation, vine age, and genetic plant material. |
