Some wines have a clearly there peppery flavor that is almost a flavor mystery to vintners. But scientists studying wine have found the compound responsible for the distinct taste, rotundone, While little else is known about the compound or why it is present in only some wines, rotundone is clearly responsible for a sharp peppery taste in wine. While not related to black pepper at all the compound seems to serve no purpose in wine other than taste. So now the question is, does science now find out what causes this compound in wine? Or does the wine world simply leave it be that it can be present in wine or it can not be? The future will tell if science tries to manipulate wine to make peppery champagne or if it stays out of the buisness that vintners think of as an art not a science.
Sadly most of the time putting wine in such scientific terms as this can take away a hint of the romance to it, but fear not. Some wine art can add that fine art feel back to the hearts of wine lovers. Even though now it is no longer a mystery as to why zinfandel has that charectaristic pepper taste, it is still possible to enjoy the magic that is made when a good wine hits a person’s lips.
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