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Chemical composition and sensory profile of prošek produced from the autochthonous Croatian grapevine varieties

Prošek is the famous dessert wine from the coastal region of Croatia (Dalmatia). According to the wine legislation, high quality prošek is required to contain minimum 15 vol% of real alcohol and maximum 20 vol% of total alcohol. It can be produced exclusively from dried grapes without adding substances that would adjust the sugar or alcohol content. Traditionally, prošek was produced from the autochthonous varieties, most of which were neglected later on. This is why we lack scientific knowledge regarding the suitability of these varieties for the production of prošek. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition and the sensory profile of prošek produced from autochthonous varieties such as Grk, Malvasija dubrovačka, Maraština, Pošip, Prč and Vugava (white varieties), as well as Babić, Glavinuša, Lasina, Plavina e Plavac mali (red varieties), harvested in 2005 and 2007. About 200 kg of grapes were harvested from each variety at full maturity, in typical wine-growing areas. After the harvest, the grapes were put in a ventilated glasshouse, where they underwent the drying process. Upon reaching the required dryness, the grapes were processed. At the end of the maturation and stabilization process, the wines were analysed using standardized physico-chemical methods. Content of real and total alcohol, total acidity, volatile acidity and extract were determined as well. A commission composed of 15 expert tasters performed the description of aromas in prošek and established whether the wines, based on their sensory profile, belonged to the category of high quality wines. On the basis of their opinion, the wines were ranked on the classification list. The varieties Malvasija dubrovačka bijela (white), Plavac mali and Babić showed the best sensory properties in both production years covered by the study. The aromatic composition of these varieties was richer and, aside from the aromas of dry fruit common in prošek, the varieties in question also contained aromas of fresh fruit (aromas of blackberry, sour cherry and plum were present in red varieties) and even flowers (Malvasija dubrovačka). Among the twenty prošek wines analysed, the majority of tasters agreed that ten of them could be included in the category of high quality wines. Nevertheless, according to the wine legislation, six of these ten wines could not be awarded the title of „high quality prošek“, because their real alcohol content is too low and/or their total alcohol content is too high. Therefore, the need arises to adjust the present wine legislation to this highly demanding wine production technology.

dessert wine prošek; Croatian autochthonous varieties; sensory profile; chemical composition

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