Volatile compound evolution in Spanish oak wood (Quercus petraea and Quercus pyrenaica) during natural seasoning

The chemical composition of heartwood from the Spanish oaks Quercus petraea and Q. pyrenaica includes a wide range of volatile compound families (volatile phenols, phenolic aldehydes, furanic compounds, lactones, phenyl ketones, and others), which are potentially extracted into wine during aging. Changes in volatiles during the natural seasoning process followed in barrel cooperage were studied. Volatile compounds varied during seasoning, with some increasing in concentration while others decreased or did not show significant variations. The evolution of the wood was most significant during the first two years of seasoning, followed by stabilization during the third year, with variations depending on species, origin, and seasoning environmental conditions. Copyright © 2007 by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture. All rights reserved.