French wine producers turn to science for flavour

A group of wine cooperatives in southwest France has joined forces with leading scientists to “liberate” the flavours most prized by consumers in growing wine markets, from China to the US.

In a bid to bring out the fruitiness enjoyed by many new wine drinkers, the Vinneo project has been developing the blackcurrant aroma of the Fer Servadou grape variety and the violet aroma of the Negrette variety.

Since 2009 it has been working with scientists on technologies to develop a range of varietal wines — ones made from a single-named type of grape — to appeal to the palates of consumers worldwide.

“We didn’t want to make the wine our grandfather would have made. We wanted to make the wine our grandfather would have made if he could,” Vinovalie director Jacques Tranier told AFP.

Vinovalie, which is leading the projects, is a group of four major cooperative wineries in southwest France. They represent the appellations of Gaillac, Fronton and Cahors and are one of the area’s largest producers of red and rose wines, along with a small amount of white.


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