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mostly wine stuff

pete

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Very much something I am involved in. There is a lot of smoke and mirrors around the chemistry (sorry for the pun) but at the end of the day, it can be removed from wine routinely.
Very Cool!

It was an interesting Sci Fri story where Dr Cerrato noted it was common practice to adjust wines for certain elements. Noted that the smoke was a bit more difficult in reds due to use of the skins and the amount of enzymes (I think) that get created but likely do-able.

Guess this really isn't an every year event and other "climate" factors more worrisome.

He did note that some wines may like a bit of ash or smoky flavor ... ;)
 

skibob

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Very Cool!

It was an interesting Sci Fri story where Dr Cerrato noted it was common practice to adjust wines for certain elements. Noted that the smoke was a bit more difficult in reds due to use of the skins and the amount of enzymes (I think) that get created but likely do-able.

Guess this really isn't an every year event and other "climate" factors more worrisome.

He did note that some wines may like a bit of ash or smoky flavor ... ;)
That last comment tells me he hasn't tasted smoke-tainted wines. The "smokiness" of smoke taint tastes nothing like the smokiness imparted by toasted barrels. I think I can safely say I've tasted hundreds of samples of smoke tainted wine over many vintages.
 

mdf

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so...what does it taste like?
Esther Mobley had a column back in 2020 where she tasted some smoke tainted wine that the winemaker decided to finish to see what happened. One was just strange, one tasted like a peaty scotch, and one like a cigarette ashtray smells.
 

pete

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Dr Cerrato noted ash like favor was one more prominent
 

pete

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Always nice to find a stash forgotten "behind the wine door".

How horrible to do a *ing Merlot


20220917_191123.jpg
 

cantunamunch

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Esther Mobley had a column back in 2020 where she tasted some smoke tainted wine that the winemaker decided to finish to see what happened. One was just strange, one tasted like a peaty scotch, and one like a cigarette ashtray smells.

I know volume for volume those aren't the best returns but I wonder if other products could make better use of the grapes. Granted, a 'peaty scotch' port would be ...disturbing at the best of times.
 

skibob

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so...what does it taste like?
When I was a teenager I helped move a bunch of creosote soaked railroad ties. If you've ever been around creosote, the first time I ever tasted smoke tainted wine, it reminded me of that. Creosote is so volatile that you can taste it just being near it.

Or, it tastes how you would imagine if you used some wine to rinse out an ashtray. And then drank it.

It does have varying degrees, and what burns seems to matter in some elements of taste. But those are some basic descriptors. Some people say "smoked salmon" but I've never connected with that one. Maybe I am focusing too much on the "salmon" dimension. Or maybe my nit-picky brain is too focused on the question "cold smoked, or hot smoked". Clearly has to be hot-smoked. But the lack of distinction annoys me. Therefore, I reject the descriptor.
 

skibob

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I know volume for volume those aren't the best returns but I wonder if other products could make better use of the grapes. Granted, a 'peaty scotch' port would be ...disturbing at the best of times.
distilling will allow those flavors to be easily cut by any skilled distiller. But yes, it is a waste. It can be removed easily and inexpensively. Just tell em to call skibob ;-)
 

Jilly

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Southbrook Vineyards, Niagara on the Lake. 2018 Triomphe Merlot. This vineyard prides itself in being organic. I did a virtual tasting (they sent the wine to us for $$, tasting a la Zoom. Alumni event...University of Guelph) last spring. This was one in the tasting. I bought 6 more bottles as it was one that I kind a liked...

When I moved indoors, I realized that the glass that the scotch was in, was a Cognac glass. Hennessy is on the glass. But Glennlivet in the glass.
 

mdf

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distilling will allow those flavors to be easily cut by any skilled distiller. But yes, it is a waste. It can be removed easily and inexpensively. Just tell em to call skibob ;-)
Goes against the current "natural wine" trend, though. (And its less obnoxious cousin, "minimal intervention".)
 

pete

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When I was a teenager I helped move a bunch of creosote soaked railroad ties. If you've ever been around creosote, the first time I ever tasted smoke tainted wine, it reminded me of that. Creosote is so volatile that you can taste it just being near it.

Or, it tastes how you would imagine if you used some wine to rinse out an ashtray. And then drank it.

It does have varying degrees, and what burns seems to matter in some elements of taste. But those are some basic descriptors. Some people say "smoked salmon" but I've never connected with that one. Maybe I am focusing too much on the "salmon" dimension. Or maybe my nit-picky brain is too focused on the question "cold smoked, or hot smoked". Clearly has to be hot-smoked. But the lack of distinction annoys me. Therefore, I reject the descriptor.
creosote ... yeah, that's a very unique and good statement on smell/taste.

I still work with some railroad tie landscaping and it has that very specific smell that one can taste, especially when cutting.
 

Jilly

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How about "barnyard"? I wasn't at this wine tasting, but my parents were. My mother grew up on a dairy farm. So I'm sure she knew what a "barnyard smell" was. Don't remember the wine they were tasting...red of some sort....And Mom liked her whites...
 

cantunamunch

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When I was a teenager I helped move a bunch of creosote soaked railroad ties. If you've ever been around creosote, the first time I ever tasted smoke tainted wine, it reminded me of that. Creosote is so volatile that you can taste it just being near it.

Oh, I've ridden near enough working railroads to know that smell very, very, very well.

To my nose it has nothing to do with ashes and everything to do with fake smoking, i.e. meats that were rubbed or infused with tar oil and never saw a smoker in their lives.

 
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