|
Cabernet Sauvignon grapes on a vine. (Photo by Jessica
Griffiths, ARS)
More Wine, Less Smoke Please
Life is too short to drink bad wine. ARS researchers are helping American grape growers and winemakers save wine grapes impacted by wildfires by finding a natural solution to remove the unpleasant flavors caused by smoke taint – a multibillion dollar problem in the U.S. wine industry.
Smoke taint occurs when wine grapes are exposed to high levels of smoke in a vineyard and absorb volatile compounds from the smoke. The leaves and grapes attach sugars to the smoke compounds and store them, which results in unpleasant flavors in the wine, often described as tasting “smoky” or “ashy”. Consequently, most grapes exposed to wildfire smoke become unsuitable for making wine. Learn more...
|
