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.
Claims that some Southland farmers were invoiced up to $4000 for winter grazing compliance checks despite not breaching rules are being rejected by Environment Southland.
According to the most recent Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, farmer confidence has inched higher, reaching its second highest reading in the last decade.
From 1 October, new livestock movement restrictions will be introduced in parts of Central Otago dealing with infected possums spreading bovine TB to livestock.
Phoebe Scherer, a technical manager from the Bay of Plenty, has won the 2025 Young Grower of the Year national title.
The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards, providing the opportunity to honour both rising talent and industry stalwarts.
Award-winning boutique cheese company, Cranky Goat Ltd has gone into voluntary liquidation.
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