Removing unwanted aromas from wine

A ‘smart surface’, developed by scientists from the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) and Flinders University, has been shown to successfully remove unwanted sulfur aromas from wine, opening up opportunities for Australian winemakers.

With funding from Wine Australia and in-kind support from Flinders University, the technology is based on applying a thin plasma polymer coating to a surface and immobilising nanoparticles on that surface, which then bind strongly to sulfur compounds in wine.

Trials of the surface, published in the journal npj Science of Food, removed up to 45% of free hydrogen sulfide from wine and were also effective in removing more complex sulfur compounds, such as methanethiol.

The approach is easily deployable and retrievable, with a one-step process where the smart surface can be added directly to the wine and removed after a certain time period, according to Dr Mierczynska-Vasilev, AWRI Principal Research Scientist.

Since the nanoengineered surfaces are independent of the substrate material, there is potential for them to be applied to wine equipment such as filtration devices, aerators, decanters, packaging materials or closures.

Volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) are compounds that contribute significantly to wine aroma. Some contribute positive characters, but others are associated with negative aromas such as rotten egg, rubber and canned corn. Managing these aromas is a significant cost for the wine sector.

The surface outperformed the traditional winemaking treatment of copper sulfate addition without causing negative effects on flavour.

The next steps in the development of the smart surfaces for deployment in the wine sector are currently being explored.

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