The exposure of vineyards and grapes to smoke from bushfires and controlled burn events may result in wines being produced which are described as smoke tainted. Since 2003, fires in or near viticultural areas have become a common occurrence and smoke taint has been experienced in wines from other wine producing regions around the globe, including Australia, Canada, Greece, South Africa, California and Chile.

In addition, the frequency of days with very high and extreme Forest Fire Danger Index are predicted to increase under various climate change scenarios, increasing the risk of fires near vineyards and the potential of smoke taint problems. This presentation aims to provide insights into our current knowledge on smoke taint, research and development programs in Australia and offer some practical take home messages into its management.

Speaker:

Dr. Mark Krstic, Australian Wine Research Institute