Episode Details

"When smoke impact in the vineyard is great enough to impact the fruit and causes inferior wine, then we start calling it smoke taint." explains Anita Oberholster, Professor Cooperative Extension Enology in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis.

During a wildfire event, the lignin in vegetation is broken down, releasing volatile phenols. While there are naturally occurring phenols in grapes, this release causes an excess which can impact the final product. Some tainted wines smell like camp fire, smoky, BBQ, and even bacon. New research shows there is an aftertaste, an aroma you perceive in the back of your throat, that creates that ash tray character.

Fruity aromas natural to some varieties can mask smoky aromas quite well. While green aromas like green pepper bring out the undesirable smoky traits. Some varieties may stand up to smoke taint better than others but there has not been a definitive research project on this yet due to the complexity of the testing process.

Barrier spray research is still in its infancy. Early testing shows that barrier sprays need to be used preventatively. One trial showed a slight impact that could make a positive difference in a light smoke taint situation. The additional challenge with sprays is that they need to be washed off which uses a lot of water.

Listen in for Anita's number one tip for growers.

• Anita Oberholster, UC Davis Viticulture and Enology Webpage
• Key Information on Smoke Effect in Grapes and Wine: What can be done to identify and reduce smoke effect in grape and wine production? (Western Australia Agriculture Authority)
• Grower-Winery Contracts and Communications about Smoke Exposure to Oregon's 2020 Wine Grape Harvest
• SIP Certified
• Step-by-Step: How to do small scale fermentations
• Sustainable Ag Expo November 14-16, 2022 | Use code PODCAST for $50 off
• The Australian Research Institute Smoke Taint Resources

Subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode on the latest science and research with the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast. Since 1994, Vineyard Team has been your resource for workshops and field demonstrations, research, and events dedicated to the stewardship of our natural resources.

Learn more at www.vineyardteam.org.

Craig Macmillan 0:00

And with me today is Dr. Anita Oberholster . She is Professor of Cooperative Extension, enology in the department of Viticulture and Enology, UC Davis. And today we're gonna talk about smoke taint. Welcome to the show.

Anita Oberholster 0:11

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Craig Macmillan 0:13

This is a problem that has gotten a lot of attention in the last few years in California, I think a lot of us was surprised to find out it's been a topic of conversation in Australia for much longer than that. And yet, we still have a lot of questions. And we still don't have a lot of answers. But we're making progress. We're learning more about this. So first off, can you define what smoke taint is?

Anita Oberholster 0:35

Sure. So the first thing I would want to say is that, you know