A preparative HPLC method, which preserves wine aromas and isolates fruity characteristics in specific fractions, was applied to red wine aroma extracts. Various odor-active zones were detected in typical fractions by GC-O analysis of their extracts. Through further GC-MS analyses, the aromatic compounds responsible for 15 of these odoriferous zones were identified as various ethyl esters and alkyl acetates. In view of their olfactory thresholds, the concentrations of these compounds had no direct impact on the fruity aroma of red wines. Nevertheless, an overall sensory effect of "red-" or "black-berry" nuances was clearly established. Higher than average levels of ethyl propanoate, ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, and ethyl 2-methylbutanoate were involved in black-berry aromas, whereas ethyl butanoate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, and ethyl 3-hydroxybutanoate conferred red-berry aromas.
