Acetic acid and ethyl acetate in Madeira wines: Evolution with ageing and assessment of the odour rejection threshold

Madeira wine is an internationally recognized fortified wine, characterized by a complex flavour and high longevity. Little is known about the impact of volatile acidity in its features along ageing. Thus, this work studied the evolution of acetic acid and ethyl acetate (volatile acidity main contributors) during the ageing processes used in Madeira wine production, canteiro and estufagem . Wines aged in canteiro for 6 up to 45 years were also evaluated. The odour rejection thresholds (ORT) were assessed in sweet (Malvasia) and dry (Sercial) wines with 5 and 10 years old, by a regular consumer panel and a non-regular consumer panel. The results showed that the formation trend of acetic acid and ethyl acetate is similar in both ageing processes and is favoured by the ageing, mostly in sweet wines. The ORT of ethyl acetate was in average 328 mg/L for both panels, while for acetic acid ranged between 1.96 and 5.72 g/L, depending on the evaluation panel and also on the age and sweetness degree of the Madeira wine. The ORT values expressed in volatile acidity ranged between 1.4 and 3.5 g/L, which are higher than the legal limits. The study pointed out that the olfactory perception of acetic acid and ethyl acetate in Madeira wines depends on their age and sweetness degree.