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…

Mathematical models of the dynamics of fermentation of wine yeasts under the influence of vitamins

Biomass accumulation in yeast has been studied in this work in terms of their role in fermentation processes. So, biotin is involved in many reactions and nitrogen metabolism disorders

Read More

Mapping natural terroir units using a multivariate approach and legacy data

This work aimed at setting up a multivariate and geostatistical methodology to map natural terroir units of the viticultural areas at the province scale (1:125,000).

Read More

Wine as cultural national heritage: 10 years of the “Vino Bebida Nacional” law in Argentina: review and lessons

Ten years have passed since the enactment and implementation of law no. 26,870 “national drink wine” in Argentina, a pioneering legislation worldwide that seeks to disseminate the cultural characteristics inherent in the production, elaboration, and consumption of wine, as well as its deep-rooted traditions.

Read More

Practical Aspects of Viticultural Zoning In South Africa

Depuis 1973, une commission statutaire administre la législation qui régit le zonage vitivinicole en Afrique du Sud. La province «Le Cap de l’ouest» cerne toutes les zones viticoles sauf quatre unités. Pour la plupart, le Cap de l’ouest a un climat méditerranéen. Les zones viticoles – qui produisent les «vins d’origine» – sont des régions, des districts, des quartiers et des domaines. Les régions sont vastes, séparées par la topographie, par ex. des chaînes de montagnes et des fleuves. Généralement, chaque région représente une zone climatique. Le climat de chaque district est plus homogène. Les quartiers sont exactement délimités par le climat, la topographie et la géologie. Les domaines sont les plus petits. Chaque domaine doit avoir un seul propriétaire.

Read More

Effects of stress memory on grapevine resilience in response to recurrent drought and recovery events 

Plants have evolved different strategies to cope with environmental stresses and, although still debated, it was observed that they can remember past stress occurrence.
Anatomical and physiological adjustments have been observed in different grapevine cultivars after repeated drought exposure, however epigenetic, transcriptional and biochemical changes associated with drought-primed ecological memory have been poorly studied.
This work was conceived to test whether exposure to recurring events of mild drought could prime vines to endure severe drought stress. Particularly, we investigated whether the expected improved stress tolerance of Vitis vinifera cv Nebbiolo plants subjected over years to moderate and long-lasting water stress events (WS-primed) depended on molecular memory phenomena or on resetting of stress-induced signals.

Read More