In Search of Smoke-Resistant Wine Grapes

One of the constant hazards of making wine in both California and Australia is fire. Every year we hear stories on the news about wild fires in California. And during the five seasons, Australian vintners reported a significant loss in quality and money as a result of brush fires. And if you're not in the know - these problems don't necessarily stem from grapes being burned. Instead, a large amount of exposure to smoke can turn a perfectly good grape into something that's almost unpalatable.

In an effort to combat this problem, a number of scientists down under are looking into ways to make grapes smoke-resistant. From an article on the subject in The Australian -

"The aims and outcomes of this research are of major significance and relevance to the Australian wine industry," Dr Wilkinson said. "From a scientific perspective, our results will advance knowledge in the fields of viticulture, plant physiology and biochemistry. "From an industry perspective, this insight will enable grape growers and winemakers to make informed decisions to minimise smoke-tainted wine, yielding clear economic benefits." "