Impact of geographical origin, vintage and plant material on the phenolic and sensory characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon wines from Mendoza, Argentina

ABSTRACT Geographical origin, vintage and plant material shape chemical and sensory typicity of Cabernet Sauvignon, yet their relative contributions across sites and years remain insufficiently quantified. We assessed four Geographical Indications (GIs) (Agrelo, Altamira, Pampa El Cepillo and Gualtallary), three vintages (2018, 2019 and 2022) and two Cabernet Sauvignon clonal families (FPS 7 and FPS 40). Triplicate micro-vinifications per GI × plant material × vintage under identical conditions, targeted LC-DAD-FLD phenolic profiling with chemometrics (ANOVA/MANOVA, MFA, clustering), and trained-panel descriptive sensory analysis in 2019 and 2022 were evaluated. Geographical origin accounted for the largest multivariate separation, with Gualtallary (1350 m a.s.l.) consistently discriminated across vintages. High-altitude wines showed higher di-hydroxylated anthocyanins, quercetin and trans -resveratrol together with lower pH and higher total acidity than other GIs; vintage modulated absolute concentrations (warmer 2022 vs. cooler 2018 and 2019), but GI patterns persisted. The plant-material effect was comparatively weak for GI discrimination, and both materials from Gualtallary grouped apart from other origins. Sensory profiles differed by GI in both panels, supporting the chemical separation. Within the bounds of this observational, multi-vintage design, origin (modulated by altitude-related environments) emerged as a robust structuring factor of Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon typicity, and the results provide candidate GI level markers and a framework for multi-vintage typicity assessments.