Mitigating smoke taint in wine

Background

The rising frequency and severity of forest fires in many wine-growing regions worldwide have raised concerns about their effects on wine quality. Grapevines exposed to smoke can absorb compounds released during wood combustion, particularly volatile phenols such as guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, syringol, and various cresols. These compounds adhere to the cuticle of grape skins and are quickly metabolised within the berry into glycosidically bound forms. While these glycosides are non-volatile, they act as a latent source of odorous volatile phenols that can be released during alcoholic and malolactic fermentations by yeasts and bacteria and by in-mouth enzymes during wine consumption.

Sensory effects

The release of free volatile phenols contributes to a range of sensory characteristics commonly called “smoke taint.” Wines made from smoke-exposed grapes often exhibit notes described as smoky, ashy, burnt, cigarette, medicinal, or bacon-like, accompanied by a lingering smoky aftertaste. Consumer perception studies show a rejection of wines contaminated by smoke, making this a significant issue for quality and commercial success.

Challenges and limitations

A major challenge for winemakers is that there are no known methods to remove smoke compounds once they have entered the grapes. Instead, the focus must be on carefully chosen winery practices to minimise the risk of extracting or releasing smoke-derived compounds. However, these measures are only partially effective, and their success relies on the grape variety, the level of smoke exposure, the type of treatment and the style of wine being produced. Additional processing also incurs financial costs, which must be weighed against the potential value of salvaging smoke-affected fruit.

Purpose of this protocol

Several winemaking techniques can be employed to mitigate the effects of smoke in wines, and these are more effective when used in combination. This protocol outlines the latest guidelines for managing grapes exposed to smoke and, where applicable, connects these recommendations to LAFFORT® products. All products must be used according to their recommended dosage and usage instructions, unless otherwise specified.

Download the “Mitigating smoke taint in wine” Protocol

References

• AWRI Fact Sheet: Smoke taint – practical management options for grapegrowers and winemakers. Updated January 2025.
• Bilogrevic, E., Jiang, W., Culbert, J., Francis, L., Herderich, M., & Parker, M. (2023). Consumer response to wine made from smoke-affected grapes. OENO One, 57(2), 417–430.
• Coulter A, Baldock G, Parker M, Hayasaka Y, Francis IL and Herderich M. (2022). Concentration of smoke marker compounds in non-smoke-exposed grapes and wine in Australia. Aust J Grape Wine Res 28:459-474.
• Lekokotla, P.R., Schneider, R., du Toit, M. and Divol, B., (2025). Lactic acid bacteria: A possible aid to the remediation of smoke taint? IVES Conference Series, Vol. 9 (Macrowine 2025), Poster, June 4.
• Mayr CM, Parker M, Baldock GA, Black CA, Pardon KH, Williamson PO et al. (2014). Determination of the importance of in-mouth release of volatile phenol glycoconjugates to the flavor of smoke-tainted wines. J Agric Food Chem 62:2327-2336.
• Mirabelli-Montan, Y.A., Marangon, M., Graça, A., Mayr Marangon, C.M. and Wilkinson, K.L. (2021). A review of the techniques for mitigating the effects of smoke taint in wine production. IVES Technical Reviews, 29 September.
• Parker, M., Bilogrevic, E., Jiang, W., Wilkes, E., Francis, I.L. and Herderich, M.J. (2025). Bottle aging of smoke-affected wines: Changes in smoke flavor and chemical composition. J Agric Food Chem, 73(3), pp.2114-2123.
• Ristic R, Fudge AL, Pinchbeck KA, De Bei R, Fuentes S, Hayasaka Y et al. (2016). Impact of grapevine exposure to smoke on vine physiology and the composition and sensory properties of wine. Theor Exp Plant Physiol 28:67-83.
• Szeto, C., Feng, H., Sui, Q., Blair, B., Mayfield, S., Pan, B. and Wilkinson, K. (2024). Exploring variation in grape and wine volatile phenol glycoconjugates to improve evaluation of smoke taint risk. Am J Enol Vitic, 75, p.0750013.