Australian scientists sniff out wine's peppery aroma

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2007

SYDNEY (AFP) — Australian scientists said Tuesday they had isolated the substance that gives red wine its peppery aroma, allowing them to modulate the bouquet of one of the country's most popular varieties.

The Australian Wine Research Institute said its scientists spent five years trying to find out what gave Shiraz wine its destinctive black pepper fragrance before identifying a single compound responsible for the spicy smell.

The compound, known as alpha-ylangene, is so powerful that a single drop is enough to make an entire Olympic-size swimming pool smell peppery, institute researcher Mango Parker told a wine industry conference.

Parker said the discovery could have major implications for the multi-billion dollar Australian wine industry, as Shiraz...