Compounds derived from added sorbic acid and isolated by GC from a red table wine spoiled by lactic bacteria after bottling include ethyl sorbate, 2,4-hexadien-1-ol, l-ethoxyhexa-2,4-diene, 3,5-hexadien-2-ol and 2-ethoxyhexa-3,5-diene. The latter ethyl ether has an intense odor and is responsible for the geranium-like off-odor associated with spoilage in sorbate-containing wines. Acid-catalyzed isomerization of 2,4-hexadien-1-ol gives 3,5-hexadien-2-ol and, in the presence of ethanol, the ethers. Ethyl sorbate is present in all wines containing added sorbate.
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Crowell et al. (1975) studied this question.