Interesting read

[wineguruchgo]

Shiraz mystery uncorked

August 1, 2007

Itis a mystery as old as humanity's love affair with the fermented grape: what makes red wine taste like red wine?

For thousands of years the species has variously sipped, slurped and gulped its way through all manner of scarlet succour, but no scientist, vigneron or seasoned drinker has unlocked any of the secrets of its taste.

Until now, that is.

After several years working away in a laboratory in Adelaide, a team of Australian wine scientists has discovered the precise chemical compound that makes a shiraz taste peppery.

It is the first time a single taste compound has been identified in red wine, enabling winemakers to give consumers exactly what they want.

Professor Sakkie Pretorius, managing director of the Australian Wine Research Institute, where the discovery was made, has no doubt of its significance.

"It's one of the biggest breakthroughs in red wine aroma chemistry in the past few decades," he said. "It's so exciting I can't sit in my own skin at the moment."

Scientists at the institute discovered the spicy compound, called rotundone, late last year but kept it secret while securing a patent.

The discovery promises to revolutionise the way wine is made. Producers, who previously relied on luck and traditional fermenting techniques, will be able to manipulate environmental conditions such as shade and moisture levels to control the pepper flavours in shiraz.

Researcher Dr Alan Pollnitz said the breakthrough would spur more wine research, and might also be applied by scientists working with other food and beverages.