Abstract: Objective: In order to optimize the fermentation process of apricot wine, improve the comprehensive utilization value of apricot fruit and reduce the resource waste and environmental pollution, apricot juice and pomace were fermented by inoculating two commercial yeast cultures separately, and the effects of different fermentation processes on physicochemical indexes, aroma components and sensory characteristics of apricot wine were compared. Methods: Four fermentation processes were evaluated in this study, namely (1) fermentation of apricot juice with yeast BV818, (2) fermentation of apricot juice with yeast CECA, (3) fermentation of apricot pomace with yeast BV818, and (4) fermentation of apricot pomace with yeast CECA. The aroma components in apricot wine were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and sensory evaluation was carried out. Results: In apricot wine, 41 aroma compounds were detected, including 29 esters, five alcohols, two aldehydes and five terpenes. Among these components, the number and amount of ester compounds were the highest, accounting for 72.7% of the total amount of aroma compounds. In wine samples 1–4, the total aroma amounts was 14 765.27, 15 034.37, 12 580.27 and 7 347.61 μg/L, respectively, significantly higher in apricot juice wine than in that made from apricot pomace. Six aroma components with odor activity values (OAV) greater than 1 were found in all wine samples, including ethyl octanoate, ethyl hexanoate, isoamyl acetate, linalool, ethyl decanoate and ethyl butyrate. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) showed that sample 2 was in the same quadrant as the five characteristic aroma components of isoamyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate and linalool, indicating that this sample had the typical aroma characteristics of apricot wine. The results of sensory evaluation showed that apricot wine had fruity aromas like apricot, peach, orange, apple and pear, and floral aroma like Chinese scholar and honeysuckle. Sample 2 had the highest sensory score. Conclusion: Apricot juice wine has high content of aroma substances with fruity and floral aromas, is light-bodied and tastes refreshing, while apricot pomace wine has a high content of total phenol with a complex aroma profile, tastes yeast-like, and is full-bodied. This study provides technical support for optimizing the fermentation of apricot wine, and also provides a theoretical basis for further studies on the formation of aroma components in apricot wine.

Key words: apricot wine; fermentation process; aroma; sensory evaluation