Ask Jim: Volatile smells
Jim Chatto
Leading young winemaker, Jim Chatto
Dear Jim,
Why do some wines smell like nail polish remover? I argued with a sommelier that the wine was off, but he told me I was just sensitive to VA? What’s that?
Honeybly, VIC
VA or Volatile Acidity is a generic term used to describe an array of volatile organic acids and their corresponding esters (acid and alcohol compounds) that can be found in wine. The most common and typically the most abundant is acetic acid (the major compound of vinegar) which can be found in all wines typically ranging from 0.2 to 0.7 g/L.
Differing styles vary in the amount of VA that is acceptable, for example 0.7g/L would be quite overpowering in a delicate white wine such as Riesling, but could actually enhance the flavour of a full bodied Shiraz.
VA in wine occurs naturally as a by-product of fermentation (the breakdown of grape sugar to alcohol by yeast, without oxygen) Typically, higher alcohol wines will have higher levels of VA. Excessive VA levels can be attributed to poor winemaking practice and or damaged fruit from the vineyard. Bacteria known as acetobactor, metabolise alcohol into acetic acid in the presence of oxygen. Damaged fruit can occur for many reasons such as bird pecking, or berry splitting after excessive rain. Once the berry skin is compromised all sorts of microorganisms, especially acetobactor, can grow, leading to spoilage, thus a wine can be doomed well before it reaches the winemaker. Therefore it is good winemaking practice to limit oxygen and minimise populations of these bacteria by picking only sound fruit and practicing good hygiene in the winery.
The nail polish remover character you describe would be due to the compound ethyl acetate which is an ester of acetic acid and alcohol. Ethyl acetate is highly volatile and most people are very sensitive to it. Generally ethyl acetate is associated with elevated levels of acetic acid and simply referred to as VA.
With respect to the Sommelier dismissing your concern about the wine being off as your problem, he must have a very busy restaurant not to need your repeat business.
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Please note, Jim will endeavour to answer as many questions as he can, however there may be delays between submission of questions and publications. Emails will not receive personal responses.
About Jim Chatto
Jim is a Wine Science graduate from Charles Sturt University and in 2002 was a star scholar at the illustrious Len Evans Tutorial. Having worked in the Hunter Valley; the Yarra Valley; Orange; Tasmania; Hungary and France, Jim's philosophies and techniques are reflective of a winemaker of the world. Aside from his role as chief winemaker at Pepper Tree Wines, Jim is a National Wine Show Judge and the Principle Consultant and Director of his own winemaking consulting business -Alchemy Wine Consulting, giving him great insight into the rich and diverse wine landscape that is Australia. Jim also operates his own tiny Pinot Noir vineyard at Glaziers Bay in Tasmania's Huon Valley.
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