Last summer鈥檚 wildfire season had the distinction of being one of the smokiest in Oregon鈥檚 history. And you might see evidence of that showing up in an unusual place: your glass of pinot noir.
The aroma and taste of smoke can make it into nearby grapes and linger in the wine, even after it鈥檚 been fermented and distilled. That鈥檚 worrying growers and winemakers here in Oregon.
Elizabeth Tomasino is an assistant professor of food science and technology at Oregon State University. She told OPB 鈥淲eekend Edition鈥� host John Notarianni that smoke is essentially an aerosol, with both solid particles and water droplets.
鈥淲hat will happen is the smoke in the air will settle on the leaves and grapes, and they鈥檙e actually transported through the cells into the grape,鈥� Tomasino said.
She said the results aren鈥檛 likely to produce a finished wine with much mass appeal: 鈥淧eople like to talk about it tasting ashy or like licking an ashtray 鈥� not very appetizing at all.鈥�
Unfortunately, Tomasino said, there鈥檚 not a lot farmers can do to prevent the taint. But scientists like Tomasino are experimenting with new processes to treat the grapes once they鈥檝e been picked.
鈥淎dding a little bit of activated carbon can strip some of the compounds out,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou want to think about things that will bind up phenolic compounds, which are the main compounds in smoke taint.鈥�
In the meantime, winemakers might have to get creative.
鈥淚 tease people that it would make a lovely barbecue wine,鈥� Tomasino said.
Use the audio player above to hear the full conversation from OPB鈥檚 鈥淲eekend Edition.鈥�
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Molly Solomon
/Winemakers in the Pacific Northwest are concerned about the smoke from wildfires impacting the taste of their grapes, and ultimately their wine.