With some wines, you could be forgiven for thinking someone had sneakily ground some pepper into your glass. But there’s very good reason for it, says Matt Walls...
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE smell? For some it’s newly mown grass; for others, sizzling bacon. For me, it’s freshly ground black pepper. I still remember the first time someone drew my attention to its aroma in a glass of Rhône syrah; since then I’ve been insatiable. But it’s not just that syrah occasionally smells like black pepper – syrah grapes contain the exact same flavour compound that you find in peppercorns, and it survives the fermentation process to end up in your glass. It’s a chemical called rotundone and its fascinating properties have only recently come to light. In the late 1990s, the trend in Australian Shiraz started to move from a bold, powerful style to a more elegant, spicy one. Winemakers began asking the Australian Wine Research institute (AWRi) how they might accentuate the spicy element in their wines. In 1999 AWRi decided to investigate, but it took them until 2005 to identify the source of this peppery aroma. ‘it was quite a significant moment in terms of flavour chemistry,’ says Con Simos at AWRi. ‘We let our researchers have a bit of Champagne,’ he adds with a wry smile.
David Jeffery at AWRi observes that the discovery was down to ‘a combination of staff dedication, advanced instrumental techniques, serendipity, synthetic capability and collaboration’. His report refers to ‘gas chromatography-mass spectrometry olfactometry’ – ‘a technical way of saying that compounds in grape and wine samples were separated on an instrument and sniffed.’
This story is from the February 2019 edition of Decanter.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2019 edition of Decanter.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Wine wisdom
Our regular learning section helps you get more from your glass
Around ABRUZZO
A stunning, under-explored, year-round destination with an extraordinary natural setting, Abruzzo’s appeal lies in its rustic villages and a sunny-natured, hospitable local character
UMBRIA A wine lover's guide
In the heart of Italy lies an undulating landscape dotted with hilltop villages and draped with olive groves, where winemakers are breathing new life into long-neglected indigenous grape varieties
Lessons in LAMBRUSCO
Coming from the same region of northern Italy as some of the world’s most famous names in food, the wide range of Lambrusco wines provide ample scope for complementing meals both local and international, while refreshing the palate, too
Sustainable cocktails THE FUTURE?
In every industry, it's pretty much the hottest topic right now, but what does the S-word mean when it comes to cocktail-making? Leading experts give us their take and share eco-conscious recipes to replicate at home
VENTOUX AOC The rising star of the Rhône
The Southern Rhone appellation is emerging as a community-led force of innovation and sustainability.
Polkadraai Hills
This lesser-known corner of South Africa’s Stellenbosch region is starting to turn heads, thanks to its special soils and a close-knit community of talented young winemakers
BY FARR
The enigmatic Nick Farr, of Australia's celebrated By Farr winery, is famously reluctant to entertain the wine media or submit samples for tasting. So we jumped at an opportunity to visit the family estate in Geelong to taste some of the country's most sought-after Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Brunello di Montalcino 2019: 30 picks from a 5-star vintage
It's a vintage to bring cheer to Tuscany lovers' hearts, and the first of what is being billed as a strong run of three to come. The successful 2019 Brunello wines offer richness, balance and immediate appeal while also managing to avoid excess
Brunello di Montalcino 2019
It's a vintage to bring cheer to Tuscany lovers' hearts, and the first of what is being billed as a strong run of three to come. The successful 2019 Brunello wines offer richness, balance and immediate appeal while also managing to avoid excess