β-Damascenone-yielding precursor(s) from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes

β-Damascenone, a potent aroma component of in a variety of grapes and wines, has a sensory threshold of approximately 2ng/L in water. This C13 norisoprenoid ketone is principally generated from hydrolyzable precursors, which was glycosidically bound. Isolation of β-damascenone-yielding precursors from Cabernet Sauvignon grape skins using C18 reversed phase chromatography followed by droplet countercurrent chromatography yielded multiple chromatographically distinguishable precursor fractions. The existence of multiple precursors was further evident from the varying ratios of 3-hydroxy- β-damascone (the by-product): β-damascenone generated upon acid hydrolysis of the chromatographically distinguishable precursor fractions.