From a rich Chardonnay to a refreshing Pinot Grigio, most supermarkets have a wide range of delicious wines to choose from.
But if you’re not a seasoned wine connoisseur, deciding which bottle to buy can be a daunting process.
Now, a new study claims that when it comes to white wine, you should avoid varieties that come in clear bottles.
Researchers from the University of Trento found that wines stored in transparent vessels – known as ‘flint glass’ – can react with light to develop nasty aromas, including ‘boiled cabbage’ and ‘wet dog’.
‘Light can dramatically damage the aroma profile and sensorial identity of varietal white wine in less than a week of shelf-life in flint glass bottles,’ the researchers wrote in their study, published in PNAS.
Researchers from the University of Trento found that wines stored in transparent vessels can react with light to develop nasty aromas, including ‘boiled cabbage’ and ‘wet dog’ (stock image)
In the study, the team set out to understand how light influences the taste and aroma of white wines.
‘Due to marketing recommendations, white wines are often bottled in flint glass to improve aesthetics and showcase wine colour,’ the team, led by Silvia Carlin explained.
‘Although this practice is known to cause a wine fault, the influence of light on the fruity and flowery aromatic profile of wine is unknown.’
The researchers assessed 1,052 bottles of 24 white wines, including Pinto Gris, Chardonnay, Muller Thurgau, and Gewurtztraminer.
Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, the researchers monitored the wines stored in flint glass bottles over seven days.
Their analysis revealed that over the seven days, the wines experienced a 10-30 per cent loss of terpenes – compounds that give wines their floral and fruity notes – and a 30-70 per cent loss of norisoprenoids – compounds responsible for complex woody notes.
In contrast, when the wines were stored in coloured glass bottles, these compounds were preserved for up to 50 days.
Meanwhile, the levels of 4-hepten-1-ol increased in Chardonnay and Pinot Gris stored in flint glass bottles.
Previous studies have shown that 4-hepten-1-ol generates rancid odours, described as ‘boiled cabbage’, ‘corn nuts’, and ‘wet dog’.
The levels of 4-hepten-1-ol increased in Chardonnay and Pinot Gris stored in flint glass bottles. Previous studies have shown that 4-hepten-1-ol generates rancid odours, described as ‘boiled cabbage’, ‘corn nuts’, and ‘wet dog’ (stock image)
Their analysis revealed that over the seven days, the wines experienced a 30-70 per cent loss of norisoprenoids including beta-damescenone – compounds responsible for complex woody notes
‘These stinky compounds appear to be responsible for the cooked cabbage off-flavour and sometimes form in wine exposed to a source of light,’ the researchers wrote.
According to the researchers, these changes are the result of an effect called lightstrike, or ‘gout de lumiere.’
‘We proposed a mechanism of the lightstrike off-odour development, which includes the decrease of the fruity and flowery aroma able to mask off-odours, the rapid loss of aroma enhancers, and the catalyzation of photodegradations,’ they explained.
Based on the findings, the researchers suggest that manufacturers should avoid storing wines in clear bottles.
‘Flint glass bottles bring no benefit to the wines, while the multiples changes in the aroma composition can jeopardize the quality, depriving the wine of the identity of the variety and terroir,’ they concluded.
‘In other words, the wine is naked.
‘It is our considered opinion that flint glass bottles should be avoided.’
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