Researchers at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) have made significant progress in making good quality sparkling wine from grapes that have been affected by bushfire smoke.
The potential risk bushfire smoke poses to Tasmanian vineyards is a constant concern for producers as it can make wine unpalatable. It has been identified by peak wine body Wine Tasmania as a high priority for research.
TIA food scientist Dr Naomi Vinden is part of the team working on the project 'Beating smoke taint with sparkling wine', funded by the Tasmanian Government's Agricultural Innovation Fund and conducted in partnership with the University of Tasmania's Fire Centre Bushfire Research Hub.
The 10-year research trial is assessing producing sparkling wine from smoke affected wine grapes, and the sensory impact of smoke compounds on sparkling wine during the ageing process.
"Tasmanian wine producers need to be prepared for extreme climate events and the risk of bushfires, and this research is one way to help ensure that we're ready and have an option for preventing major financial losses due to unpalatable smoke affected wine," Dr Vinden said.
A specialised trial simulated the smoke taint conditions that could occur when a vineyard is exposed to a bushfire. Grapes were smoked for three hours in a purpose designed structure using a variety of local native wood and leaf litter, simulating what would be present in smoke during a real bushfire event.
The smoke-tainted grapes were then processed to produce sparkling wine with various carefully controlled levels of smoke taint.
"The risk of smoke taint is a huge concern for wine producers and badly smoke-affected fruit can represent a significant cost to the wine grape sector. Smoke taint can make the wine unpalatable," Dr Vinden said.
Alison Ctercteko is studying a PhD on smoke taint in grapes and wine at TIA. She's working on ways to produce good quality wine from smoke affected grapes.
"The aim is to provide a method for Tasmanian wine producers to still be able to make good wine that's been subject to smoke and bushfires. We're getting closer to that goal," Ms Ctercteko said.
The research will ensure Tasmania is better prepared for extreme weather events associated with a changing climate.
"We're expecting to have some solutions to help growers and producers mitigate potential smoke impacts in case of any future bushfire events," Ms Ctercteko said.
"Results so far have been very promising. I've determined that I can remove the smoke taint compounds.
"But it's a matter of reducing the smoke taint while retaining as much of the desirable aromatics of the wine as possible. I've got to make sure I'm retaining the lovely Pinot noir or chardonnay fruit flavours in the wine and I'm not stripping them out.
"I've been using different levels of smoke taint, different varieties of grapes and the methods appear to be working."
