Effect of Vintage on Volatile Compounds of Different Cultivars of Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) Berries

The study aimed to assess the impact of vintage on the organoleptic quality of blackcurrant berries. Eleven cultivars of blackcurrant were studied for 3 years. GC-O and GC-MS analyses were used to select 12 odorant volatile compounds from blackcurrant berries. These compounds were semiquantified for the berries of 11 cultivars for 3 years. Results showed variations from one year to another, depending on the cultivar and depending on the volatile compounds. Multivariate statistical analyses showed that some cultivars were more sensitive to vintage than others. For most cultivars, the odorant profile of berries harvested in 2020 was different from the ones harvested in 2021 and 2022. Climatic data were used to deepen the interpretation of these results. Frost damage after blooming and lack of rain during fruit formation could explain the differences in fruit quality.