APPLICATION OF GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-ION MOBILITY SPECTROMETRY(GC-IMS) TO CHARACTERIZE VOLATILE SIGNATURES OF FETEASCĂ NEAGRĂ WINES FROM THE IGP ȘTEFAN VODĂ REGION

Wine aroma is a key determinant of quality and typicity, shaped by complex mixtures of volatile compounds. Traditional methods such as GC-MS provide detailed chemical information but are often time consuming and less suited for rapid terroir studies. This study hypothesized that gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) can differentiate wines from neighboring vineyards within the same protected geographical indication (PGI). The objective was to evaluate its applicability for profiling volatile compounds in wines from three vineyards of the PGI Ștefan Vodă region in Moldova. Microvinification was carried out with Fetească Neagră grapes harvested at technological maturity in 2022, and the resulting wines were analyzed by GC-IMS. Three dimensional spectra, two dimensional projections, differential mapping, and fingerprint plots revealed vineyard specific volatile profiles. Wine from Purcari was characterized by higher levels of esters, Cimișlia by carbonyls and terpenes, and Căușeni by higher alcohols and acetate esters. These results confirm that GC-IMS can capture subtle vineyard level differences and provide unique chemical fingerprints.