Geographical differentiation of white wines from three subzones of the designation of origin Valencia

The chemical composition of 50 Spanish white wines, 1998 and 1999 vintages, from three subzones of the Designation of Origin Valencia (Alto Turia, Clariano and Valentino), was studied. The 35 components analysed were grouped according to the conventional parameters, alcohols and polyols, and esters. Discriminant analysis was applied to each one of these groups and to each one of the vintages; this did not allow us to correctly classify these wines in their corresponding subzone. To carry out a more exact classification of the studied wines in their corresponding subzone, it was necessary to carry out a discriminant analysis with the 35 parameters and the 50 wines (98% well classified). A stepwise discriminant analysis was used to eliminate the less significant variables. The discriminant analysis was also carried out using only 18 variables and this also led to successful results: 96% of the samples were correctly classified. Using only four parameters, total acidity, ashes (conventional parameters), pentanol (alcohols) and diethyl succinate (esters), we managed to successfully classify 84% of the wines studied into their corresponding subzone.