May peppery wines be the spice of life? A review of research on the ‘pepper’ aroma and the sesquiterpenoid rotundone

Abstract

Rotundone is the main aroma compound responsible for peppery notes in wines. Since its discovery in 2008, this potent and fascinating odorant has been the subject of many research studies worldwide. The aim of this review is to summarize these works. Rotundone is a rather ubiquitous molecule that has been detected in many grape varieties. As with other sesquiterpenes, the proposed biosynthetic scheme for rotundone involves both the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) and the mevalonate (MVA) pathways. The production of the compound by the plant, which could be a response to biotic stress, is also affected by abiotic factors. In most cases, studies showed that rotundone was neutrally or positively perceived by consumers, which makes the peppery note a desirable character in vine. Practical ways were identified to modulate rotundone levels in wines using viticultural and enological techniques. Climate change, through the expected alteration of precipitation regime and a rise in temperature over the grape maturation period, should have a depreciative impact on rotundone accumulation. Adaptation strategies in this context, together with other perspectives of research, are discussed in concluding this review.