Modulation of geraniol metabolism during alcohol fermentation

J. Inst. Brew. 110(3), 213–219, 2004 Geraniol is the main monoterpenol present in Gewurtztraminer white grapes and in some red aromatic grapes from northern Italy. During fermentation, the geraniol concentration showed a dramatic drop and a small amount was transformed into linalool and -terpineol by an acid catalysed chemical reaction. Yeast are responsible for changing most of the geraniol to citronellol through enzymatic reactions. The final aroma of wine is due mainly to both the untransformed geraniol and the formed citronellol. In this study, competition between the geraniol-citronellol transformation and another metabolic process, in which according to our hypothesis sterol biosynthe…