Thursday, November 22, 2012

Mysterious Flavor of One Bottle of Chardonnay

On October 6, I wrote this blog on the Wine Flaws Aroma Kit and mentioned a Chardonnay that had a fruity aroma but was undrinkable and wondered what was the cause of this phenomenon. I came across what might be the answer to this mystery on a Cornell Site called Ask Barry Waite:
Dear Barry Waite:
I have a 2009 Chardonnay I made this year that tastes unlike any Chardonnay I have ever made or tasted and I don’t mean in a good way. I know it is 100% Chardonnay, but it taste like it has some strange but fruity aromas and flavors. Can you help me with this puzzling dilemma?
Signed, Funky Fruit in Fredonia
Dear Funky:
Thank you for your question. First, it is always easier and more accurate if I can smell and taste your wine. Sensory analysis is gratis to New York State Wineries at the New York State Wine Analytical Laboratory. That being said, I believe from your description that you are describing a non-Saccharomyces yeast fermentation. Spoilage yeasts such as Kloeckera and Zygosaccharomyces like low temperatures and Saccharomyces do not. If you encourage the growth of Kloeckera you will also end up with a wine with a high acetic acid content and a fruitiness that does not come from the grapes, but instead from acetic acid esters. Starting fermentation temperature for white wines should be 20 degrees C (68 degrees F) and for red wines 30 degrees C (86 degrees F). I believe your wine was fermented by non-Saccharomyes species giving it the fruity esters and non-varietal aromas and flavors.
May the Chardonnay you might drink today be fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae or S. cerevisiae bayanus.

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