Terroir 2004 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 TCA – A status report on South African cork closures

TCA – A status report on South African cork closures

Abstract

Cork taint decreases the commercial value of wine as tainted wines are rejected by consumers. Although other compounds in wine and cork can also be responsible for causing a taint, 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) is regarded as the primary cause of cork taint. As cork taint is often used in marketing campaigns against natural cork closures, manufacturers extended their overall quality control to monitoring TCA levels. Since August 2004 a representative sample of all batches of cork closures that are imported by members of the South African Cork Quality Council (SACQC) are tested for TCA before release into the market. Quality control on TCA is conducted by an independent laboratory, established by the Institute for Wine Biotechnology (Department of Viticulture and Oenology, University of Stellenbosch) and Thalès Wine Cellar Services (Pty) Ltd. In this contribution we report on the current status of TCA in cork closures in South Africa. The analytical methodologies as well as the quality control program that is currently implemented are also outlined.

DOI:

Publication date: January 12, 2022

Issue: Terroir 2004

Type: Article

Authors

J.A. Minnaar

Institute for Wine Biotechnology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa

Contact the author

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2004

Citation

Related articles…

Impact of grapevine leafroll virus infections on vine physiology and the berry transcriptome

Grapevine leafroll associated virus (GLRaV) infections deteriorate vine physiological performance and cause high losses of yield and fruit quality

Sustaining grape production under challenging climate change circumstances

Grapevines are an important economic crop grown in temperate climates of both hemispheres characterized by short‐term heat spells and heat waves

Identification of loci associated with specialised metabolites in Vitis vinifera

Secondary (or specialised) metabolites such as terpenes and phenolic compounds are produced by plants for various roles which include defence against pathogens and herbivores, protection against abiotic stress, and plant signalling. Additionally, these metabolites influence grapevine quality traits such as colour, aroma, taste, and nutritional value. However, the biosynthesis of these metabolites is often complex and controlled by multiple genes which in grapevine are predominantly uncharacterised.

Symbiotic microorganisms application in vineyards: impacts on grapevine performance and microbiome

Microorganism-based inoculants have been suggested as a viable solution to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on viticulture. However, the actual effectiveness of these inoculants when applied under field conditions remains a challenge, and their effects on the existing soil microbiota are still uncertain. This study investigates the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation on grapevine performance and microbiome. The study was conducted in a vineyard of Callet cultivar in Binissalem, Mallorca, Spain. Two different treatments were applied: control and inoculation with commercial mycorrhizae complex of Rhizoglomus irregulare applied to plants through irrigation.

La haie bocagère comme critère de zonage à l’échelle parcellaire

In the French AOCs, the production area of ​​the raw material can be subject to plot delimitation based on criteria of physical environment and use. On the other hand, many environmental zonings are developing and the AOCs are called upon include provisions relating to these concerns. Hedges, through their effects on local changes in the regional climate and on functional biodiversity, can impact the functioning of vines and orchards. It is for this reason that their consideration as a delimitation criterion is envisaged.