Wine grapes exposed to smoke and wine made from grapes exposed to smoke can robustly be identified through their elevated concentrations of volatile phenols and phenolic glycosides serving as smoke markers, compared to concentrations typically found in non-smoke-exposed samples. Smoke-affected wines with high concentrations of volatile phenols and glycosides can have smoky flavours, but the relationship between concentrations of specific smoke markers in grapes and the intensity of smoky sensory attributes in the resulting wine has not been established. This study sought to determine whether volatile phenols and glycoside concentration in grapes and wine are suited to predict smoke flavour, to identify the key drivers of smoke flavour in both matrices. The study aimed to determine what concentrations of volatiles and glycosides in grapes impart an unacceptable smoke flavour in the resulting wine, to provide a guide for producers assessing suitability of smoke-exposed grapes for wine production. During vintage 2020, a total of 65 grape samples were collected from vineyards exposed to bushfire smoke, as well as unaffected vineyards. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz grapes were harvested from vineyards in New South Wales, South Australia, and Victoria. Unoaked wines (50 kg scale) were produced under controlled conditions. The wines had a wide range of smoke flavour intensities rated by a trained sensory panel. Statistical models based on guaiacol, o-cresol, m-cresol, p-cresol, and some glycosides gave good predictions of smoke flavour intensity, with a slightly different optimal model for each cultivar. Subsequently, critical concentrations for quality defects were estimated to provide a guide for producers. A subset of smoke exposure markers in wine grapes affected by smoke from bushfires can be used to predict the degree of smoke flavour in wine. This information provides a first guide for assessing the risk of producing smoke tainted wine from smoke-exposed grapes.

An increase in bushfires and wildfires globally and consequent smoke exposure of grapevines has seen an elevated need for remediation options to manage the impact of smoke taint in the wine industry. Two commercially available activated carbons (PS1300 and CASPF) were evaluated at 1, 2, and 4 g/L with juice from smoke-affected Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. PS1300 and CASPF treatments removed up to 75 and 92% of the phenolic glycosides in the smoke-affected Pinot Noir rosé juice, respectively, and both carbons removed virtually all (i.e., 98–99%) of the phenolic glycosides in the smoke-affected Chardonnay juice at the highest dose rate (4 g/L). The free volatile phenols in the wines were similarly lower in concentration following treatment. Sensory analysis confirmed that the wines made from carbon fined juice had reduced smoke aroma and flavor compared to those from the nontreated controls. However, desirable sensory properties such as color and fruity attributes were also negatively affected by the treatment. The dose rate should be optimized in industry practice to find a balance between reducing the intensity of smoke-related sensory attributes while maintaining or enhancing positive attributes.

Background and Aims: The effect of amino acids, and their interactions with volatiles and other non-volatiles, on inmouth sensory properties of red wines is not known. This knowledge gap has been studied in a series of comprehensive sensory experiments. Methods and Results: A solvent-assisted flavour evaporation extract of Shiraz wine volatiles, a de-aromatised polyphenolic extract and amino acids were added to model wine and wine systems. Using full factorial designs, samples were evaluated by sensory quantitative descriptive analysis. Volatiles enhanced Viscous mouthfeel (F = 20.0, P < 0.001), Sweetness (F = 26.5, P < 0.001) and Body (F = 81.4, P < 0.001), while the phenolic extract directed Astringency (F = 170.5, P < 0.001) as well as Bitterness (F = 7.3, P < 0.001) and suppressed Sweetness (F = 16.5, P < 0.001). An amino acid by volatile interaction (F = 4.2, P < 0.05) was found, and further experiments showed that L-proline enhanced Viscosity (F = 5.0, P < 0.05), Sweetness (F = 14.4, P < 0.001), Red fruit flavour (F = 7.8, P < 0.001) and suppressed Astringency (F = 6.1, P < 0.05) and Bitterness (F = 7.0, P < 0.01), while L-glutamic acid imparted an Umami taste (F = 5.0, P < 0.05) at wine-like concentration. Conclusions: For the first time, these causal experiments showed that amino acids can influence the taste, mouthfeel and flavour of red wine. Significance of the Study: This work provides insight into a new class of wine compounds of sensory significance that can be targeted by producers to directly influence wine flavour.

Stuck or sluggish malolactic fermentation (MLF) can be problematic in stressful wine conditions, particularly white and sparkling base musts/wines. In these cases, knowledge of yeast-bacteria strain compatibility and the amount of sulfur dioxide (SO2) a yeast strain produces are important considerations for successful MLF. Here, laboratory- and pilot-scale co-fermentations in Chardonnay were used to investigate the effect of yeast-derived SO2 on Oenococcus oeni survival. Although yeast-derived SO2 is generally inhibitory, we show that SO2 production (to approximately 65 mg/L) can be uncoupled from O. oeni survival in the early stages of co-fermentation. Bacterial survival in the presence of specific SO2-producing yeast strains was correlated with the early, transient formation of high acetaldehyde concentrations. Oenococcus oeni survival coincided with molecular SO2 concentrations remaining below an extremely low threshold of inhibition, which exponentially increased from approximately 3–6 µg/L in the first three days of co-fermentation. Strain-dependent sensitivity of O. oeni to bound SO2 remains a possibility, although the extent and mechanism of such inhibition by the SO2 adduct during co-fermentation remain unclear. The choice of co-inoculation yeast strain also influenced wine diacetyl concentration, which was only detected in wines co-inoculated with high SO2-producing S. cerevisiae strains. The wines with high diacetyl concentrations were found to be distinct by a sensory panel, with comparatively high citation frequency for a buttery sensory attribute. Both the SO2- and acetaldehyde production capacity of yeasts are, therefore, seen as meaningful co-inoculation selection criteria. The range of yeast strains suitable for MLF induction by co-inoculation could be widened to include SO2-producing strains that transiently produce an early, high concentration of acetaldehyde. The effects of low, equilibrium concentrations of molecular SO2 should also be considered in conjunction with total SO2 as a measure of SO2 toxicity towards O. oeni following co-inoculation.