Wine scientists remove bitter flavours from Cabernet Sauvignon
University of Adelaide scientists at Australia’s largest wine research hub have used tiny magnetic particles to remove strange aromas and flavours from wine.
They have developed a polymer for soaking up methoxypyrazines in Cabernet Sauvignon, a compound known to produce an undesirable green capsicum aroma.
A group of taste testers found the new approach removed these molecules without altering the wine’s desired bouquet.
Magnetic polymers could be potentially used to target and remove other wine faults such as smoke taint and ladybug taint. In excessive amounts, these aromas can overwhelm the fruity or floral bouquet that we have come to expect from wine. This results in unbalanced sensory characteristics.
The method could also be applied to other varieties to make all wines with strange aromas or flavours more drinkable.
Further reading
- Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry - Chemical and sensory evaluation of magnetic polymers as a remedial treatment for elevated concentrations of 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine in cabernet sauvignon grape must and wine.