Preliminary Study of Enological Potential and Volatile Compounds of Tintilla de Rota Somatic Variant Grown in a Warm Climate

Abstract

In an enological market notable for its use of universal varieties, the enological potential of the somatic variant Tintilla de Rota has been studied in a warm climate area from where it originates and has been compared with three universal cultivars and with a reference cultivar in Spain. It has been found that Tintilla de Rota is a grapevine cultivar that can adapt easily to the area where it has been grown traditionally, achieving adequate pH and acidity values while maintaining a moderate sugar content compared to the other varieties studied. Additionally, it has shown high anthocyanin content. In terms of aromatic composition, it has exhibited a content equal to or even higher than the other varieties analyzed in this study in most of the aromatic families studied, with a higher content of compounds such as 1-octanol, benzyl alcohol and citronellol, which can lead to wines with an interesting and distinguished aromatic profile. All these facts confirm the interest in the use of this cultivar and the importance of recovering and enhancing the value of autochthonous cultivars as opposed to other so-called universal varieties.