Terroir 2020 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Comparing the chemical and sensory consequences of grapevine smoke exposure in grapes and wine from different cultivars and different wine regions in Australia

Comparing the chemical and sensory consequences of grapevine smoke exposure in grapes and wine from different cultivars and different wine regions in Australia

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to benchmark the chemical and sensory consequences of grapevine exposure to smoke, by comparing: (i) the concentration of volatile phenols and volatile phenol glycosides in control and smoke-affected grapes from different cultivars and different wine regions; and (ii) the chemical and sensory profiles of wines made from control and smoke-affected grapes, from different cultivars.  

Methods and Results: Control and smoke-affected grapes and wines were sourced from a combination of: experimental trials (involving the application of smoke to different grapevine cultivars); and commercial vineyards located in Australian wine regions, some of which were exposed to bushfire smoke during the 2019/20 growing season. The concentrations of smoke taint marker compounds were determined in grapes and wine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; while wine sensory profiles were determined by descriptive analysis. 

Conclusions: 

Volatile phenols and volatile phenol glycosides remain useful chemical markers of smoke taint. Volatile phenol concentrations (in free and glycosylated forms) varied by cultivar and wine region, which likely reflects varietal differences in the naturally occurring (‘background’) levels of volatile phenols, and the density and duration of smoke exposure experienced in different regions.  

Significance and Impact of the Study: Research findings provide an initial benchmark of the ‘background’ levels of free and glycosylated volatile phenols that can occur naturally in grapes from different cultivars, as well as the concentrations of smoke taint marker compounds present in smoke-affected grapes and wine. These results can be used by industry to inform decisions around harvesting vs. rejecting smoke-affected grapes, albeit a greater understanding of baseline volatile phenol levels by cultivar and region is needed.

Download the PDF

DOI:

Publication date: March 25, 2021

Issue: Terroir 2020

Type: Video

Authors

Kerry Wilkinson* and Renata Ristic 

School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Waite Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, South Australia 5064, Australia 
ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production, Waite Research Institute, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, South Australia 5064, Australia

Contact the author

Keywords

Cresol, guaiacol, smoke taint, syringol, volatile phenols, volatile phenol glycoconjugates

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2020

Citation

Related articles…

Grapevine vigour is correlated with N-mineralization potential of soil from selected cool climate vineyards in Victoria, Australia

Excess vigour has been a problem on fertile soils under high rainfall in many cool climate regions of Australia. High and low vigour blocks were selected in vineyards of the cool climate regions of King Valley, Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Read More

White wine lees: unlocking the relationship between chemical composition and antioxidant potential

The wine-making process generates numerous by-products at each stage (crushing, fermentation, ageing), including wine lees, which account for almost 25% of the total quantity.

Read More

Terroir and precision viticulture: are they compatible?

The concept of terroir or sense of place is almost as old as the wine industry. It is generally used as an all-encompassing term to reflect the effects of the biophysical environment in which grapes and their resultant wines are produced on the character of those wines. Historically, terroir has generally been considered at the regional or property scale.

Read More

In vitro tissue culture as a tool for Croatian grapevine germplasm management

In vitro culture makes it possible to carry out specific studies that would not be possible with whole plants grown in the field or in a greenhouse. Cryopreservation allows long-term preservation without metabolic changes in the plant material and cryotherapy can be efficient in virus elimination, which is a major scientific challenge.
The preculture media of cryopreservation protocols were evaluated on three Croatian grape varieties with different antioxidants (salicylic acid, ascorbic acid and glutathione). The highest growth in vitro was achieved on the medium with the addition of glutathione and the lowest with the addition of salicylic acid.

Read More

Towards microbiota-based disease management: analysis of grapevine microbiota in plots with contrasted levels of downy mildew infection

Vineyards harbor a myriad of microorganisms that interact with each other and with the grapevines. Some microorganisms are plant pathogens, such as the oomycete Plasmopara viticola that causes grapevine downy mildew. Others, such as plant growth promoting bacteria and disease biocontrol agents, have a positive influence on vine health. The present study aims to (1) investigate whether vine-based culture media increase the cultivability of the grapevine microbiota, in comparison to standard culture media and (2) identify and isolate bacterial taxa naturally present in grapevine leaves and significantly more abundant in plots showing low susceptibility to downy mildew.

Read More