Name (also lactones) for internal esters of oxycarboxylic acids with a strong, usually pleasant odour; in the case of higher-quality wines, often reminiscent of musk or coconut. Lactones play a very important role among the volatile flavouring substances in wine, especially the g-lactones. They are also known as "oak lactones" after their origin, oak, or "whisky lactones" after their occurrence. Lactones are already formed in the grapes or during fermentation, as well as during the toasting of oak wood through the breakdown of lipids. They or their precursors are particularly abundant in oak from the French Allier region or from America. In contrast to other substances such as furfurals, they occur in smaller quantities in burnt-out wood. The substance sotolone, which is found in botrytis wines and oxidatively matured wines such as Madeira, rancio and sherry, is also a lactone. See also under toast flavour.
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Thorsten Rahn
Restaurantleiter, Sommelier, Weindozent und Autor; Dresden