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A Technical Guide for Wine Producers
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The Future Of Wine Aroma Research
Dr. Johann Marais, ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Stellenbosch
Wine aroma probably accounts for the most important component of the quality and enjoyment of wine. Over the last few decades a vast amount of research has been conducted on this topic worldwide. In South Africa aroma research has been undertaken especially on Chenin blanc, Weisser Riesling, Sauvignon blanc and Pinotage. This research has been focussing mainly on how to determine the effects of different climatic, viticultural and oenological parameters on wine composition and wine quality, and how to use this knowledge in the efforts to achieve optimal cultivation and vinification conditions.
It can been be said that research into the aroma of grapes and wine is exhausted. It is indeed so that the identification of new components occurs less and less frequently and that the most important volatile components of the approximately 800 known to us, can be measured in practically any laboratory throughout the world. It is also common practice to apply this knowledge to optimise viticultural and oenological practices.
Does this type of reseach have any role to play in the future? The question is relevant, seeing that funding is scarce and aroma research expensive.
The reality is that, despite the body of knowledge and the most sophisticated apparatus available, the gaps in the understanding of grape and wine aroma are still enormous. In most instances it is still not known which aroma components are responsible for the typical characters of specific cultivars. The identification of cultivar impact components is complicated by the complex interactions between and constant transformations of chemical components in a liquid medium such as wine.
Some of the latest technology that is currently in use, is the so-called SPME (Solid Phase Micro Extraction) technology, which measures aroma components in the vaporous phase of wine. In other words, it measures specifically that which is smelled and represents the first sensorial message sent to the brain about the quality of the wine and the subsequent enjoyment thereof. More and more research results obtained through the use of this technique are currently being published. The technique is exceptionally fast and does not entail any lengthy and complicated extraction procedures. This meets the need of any industry such as the wine industry to develop fast, reliable and inexpensive methods for the identification and application of impact components as parameters of quality, or the solution of problems such as the occurrence of off-odours.
Areas in which future aroma research will play an important role, involve aspects such as the authenticity and health of wine. A country like South Africa, regardless of whether it belongs to first or second world economy, can no longer compete in the world or be credit-worthy locally unless its products are genuine and safe. Therefore immediate research should be aimed at, inter alia, the compilation of aroma data bases with regard to these aspects.
Any future practice, whether it be integrated production of wine, organic production of wine, biodiversity studies, genetic manipulation of cultivars and yeasts, or climatic changes as a result of global warming, will also require aroma research seeing that all of these aspects will influence the aroma composition and quality of grapes and wine. In general the application of aroma knowledge will also be necessary in future to support any other new viticultural and oenological techniques aimed at optimising wine quality.
In conclusion, aroma research should still occupy an important place at any research institution in future.
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