The Auswine Forum

Burnt offerings
By Jeni Port, December 7, 2004 The Age

The heat and bushfires of 2003 left a terrible mark on life and the landscape of Canberra and north-east Victoria. The conditions also left their mark on some of the wines of that year. As bushfire smoke and haze shrouded the floors of the King and Alpine valleys during January and February - just weeks before vintage - grapevines became a susceptible target, with the smoke somehow entering the plants' system. Maybe it's through the leaves - no one knows for sure until more studies are performed - but one thing is certain, the smoke taint survived the winemaking process and was noticeable in the finished wine.

The biggest indicator that something was wrong came after fermentation with a lingering, stale ashtray taste and a hardness on the finish of the wine. MORE->

What a great example of terroir!!

Mike

Interesting article thanks....

The AWRI did research into lessening the effect of smoke taint in wines (guaiacol and 4-MG)...they include:

Leaf plucking, high pressure cold water wash in the vineyard, hand pick to reduce MOG, whole bunch press and fraction the pressings. Only one fining agent was found to 'scalp' the taint and that was activated carbon and this was only moderately successful. Guaiacol was found in the greatest concentration in grape skins so red wines will suffer more than whites. Reverse osmosis was also found to reduce the taint level by approx 1/3 but in the end the taint was near impossible to remove.

Anyways........ you can always mention that 'this wine has a scorching case of 4- meythlguaiacol' at your next dinner party and impress your guests and make the ladies swoon

There's a decent write up of it in the AWRI 2003 Annual Report.

Cheers

Dave

Jeni writes well.

Having said that the North east of Victoria is a big place, from the hills to tthe open plains country. The smoke was exceptionally bad and did damage in the areas where the smoke could not get away..ie where it was trapped within the hills.

So areas like some Beechworth, Myrtleford etc were badly effected but Rutherglen some 50Km away weren't. We drove to Melbourne during the height of the fires and we were in smoke all the way to Reservoir on the west side of town. The smoke got caught in the waxy bloom on the berries and it was a contact thing...more smoke more burnt ashtray taste.

That said, we only bottled 2000 cases of Reserve wine instead of 6000, with many wines not up to scratch. The reason was the reason we had the fires in the first place... there was a bloody tough drought on, and some of the wines looked short and hard. Look at the other tough droughts and you'll see the same thing.

The wines we did bottle are first class, but after the sensational 02's and having a cracker of an 04 vintage, why stretch blends futher than you need to. Make less make better I say.

cheers
Smithy

smithy wrote:8)

Jeni writes well.

Having said that the North east of Victoria is a big place, from the hills to tthe open plains country. The smoke was exceptionally bad and did damage in the areas where the smoke could not get away..ie where it was trapped within the hills.

So areas like some Beechworth, Myrtleford etc were badly effected but Rutherglen some 50Km away weren't. We drove to Melbourne during the height of the fires and we were in smoke all the way to Reservoir on the west side of town. The smoke got caught in the waxy bloom on the berries and it was a contact thing...more smoke more burnt ashtray taste.

That said, we only bottled 2000 cases of Reserve wine instead of 6000, with many wines not up to scratch. The reason was the reason we had the fires in the first place... there was a bloody tough drought on, and some of the wines looked short and hard. Look at the other tough droughts and you'll see the same thing.

The wines we did bottle are first class, but after the sensational 02's and having a cracker of an 04 vintage, why stretch blends futher than you need to. Make less make better I say.

cheers
Smithy

Hi

Gavin Trott here, site owner.

Who is 'we'?

Tell us a bit about yourself (ves)

We being my wife Carol and I
Who own/ operate /are Warrabilla at Rutherglen apart ftrom being keen wine consumers as well.

Cheers
Smithy

Smithy wrote:8)

We being my wife Carol and I
Who own/ operate /are Warrabilla at Rutherglen apart ftrom being keen wine consumers as well.

Cheers
Smithy

Great, welcome , love you to register, post often and join us?

I think if more of the trade contributed it would make the forum more interesting, useful and fun!

Warrabilla, my kind of wine!