Bound aroma compounds of Gual and Listán blanco grape varieties and their influence in the elaborated wines

► The profile of aroma precursors of the two grape varieties under study is established. ► The profile of volatile compounds of the two wines under study is established. ► The most important sensory compounds of these wines are established. ► The aroma precursors influencing the volatile composition of wines are established. Listán blanco and Gual are two white grape varieties grown in Spain (Canary Islands) and Gual is also grown in Portugal (Madeira Island). Wine quality could be improved by exploiting the varietal characteristics present in grapes as aroma precursors. At the present time, the enologic potential of these varieties has not yet been studied. Aroma precursors in musts and skins, and free volatiles in wines were determined in samples of both varieties. Aroma precursors of must and skins were isolated by absorption on XAD-2 resin and the aglycone liberated by means of acid hydrolysis. Free volatiles from wines and from aroma precursors were extracted with dichloromethane and then analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Among the aroma precursors analysed, only α-terpineol, linalool and linalool oxides, 4-allyl-2,6-dimethoxyphenol, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin and benzyl alcohol showed contents in grapes comparable to the levels observed in wine volatile compounds.