Microbes may be key to geographical differences in wine
A new study suggests microbes could be the reason why wines differ in regions.
Wine science researchers from the University of Adelaide have found that a tailor-made polymer developed in New Zealand could hold the key to removing smoke taint in wine.
A billion-dollar problem, wildfires are an ongoing threat to vineyards. Wines made from grapes exposed to smoke result in an acrid, ashy aroma, taste and mouth feel that compromises quality and reduces value to the point that it is oftentimes unsaleable.
Ideally, to remediate smoke tainted wine, the molecules responsible need to be reduced, without removing desirable elements that contribute to the wine’s composition, colour and flavour.
Professor of Oenology, Kerry Wilkinson and her colleagues have successfully tested a method to lessen smoke taint in wine, validating the use of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) to target removing the volatile phenols responsible for the smoke taint.
Researchers added MIP beads to smoke-impacted wine which selectively bound and removed the target compounds, ameliorating the wine’s sensory profile. MIP specialists, amaea developed the MIPs used in the Australian government funded study.
“The selectively of MIPs made the science worth considering as a method to reduce volatile phenols. We exposed the wine to MIP beads imprinted with billions of binding sites complementary to the target compound’s molecular properties, such as size, shape and chemical characteristics – which allows the MIPs to specifically target, capture and remove the offending phenols,” says Wilson.
The research showed the MIP technology was successful at removing 35−57% of the volatile phenols from the sample wines which included guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, cresols, and phenol. The findings were recently published in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Dr Aaron Low, chief technical officer amaea says that removing smoke taint from wine has long been a challenge for winemakers as often more is stripped away than desired. Low says not every smoke-impacted wine is the same.
Federated Farmers says the final report into banking competition is a significant step forward for rural New Zealand - and a vindication of the farming sector's concern.
Fonterra chair Peter McBride expects a strong mandate from farmers shareholders for the proposed sale of its consumer and related businesses to Lactalis for $3.8 billion.
Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell says the sale of the co-op’s consumer and associated businesses to Lactalis represents a great outcome for the co-op.
The world’s largest milk company Lactalis has won the bid for Fonterra’s global consumer and associated businesses.
Fonterra has increased its 2024/25 forecast Farmgate Milk Price from $10/kgMS to $10.15/kgMS.
Farmer lobby group Federated Farmers has announced it is supporting a new Member’s Bill which it says could bring clarity to New Zealand farmers and save millions in legal costs.
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