GoodGrief..More Friggin' Technology Monkeying w/ Our Wines..

Interesting article in today's SFChron:
SFChron: UV Irradiation

describing the use of UltraViolet rays to irradiate our wine and reduce the use of SO2 as a preservative/anti-oxidant in wine, by a SouthAfrica researcher.
I think it's time that we put our foot down and stop yet another technology they're trying to use to monkey around with our wines. SO2 is a natural preservative and has been used in winemaking since time immemorial. The use of dangerous gamma rays in the irradiation of foods to destroy pathogens like salmonella has been shown to have deadly effects and produce birth defects in the human fetus, resulting in babies with three arms and enlarged heads.
This insidious UV technology must be stopped dead in its tracks. Any wine that has been irradiated by UV rays should be labeled with a big irradiation symbol so unknowing consumers can avoid such dangerous. It's time for us consumers to stand up to yet another dangerous technology and force winemakers to return to the use of natural winemaking techniques like SO2 as a preservative.
It should be noted that this dangerous technology is being investigated by none other than Kendall-Jackson, the very same company that started leaving residual sugar in our Chardonnays and, thereby, destroying all the Chablis-like terroir in Calif Chardonnays.
Anyway...rather interesting read I thought. It's time to mount the barricades.
Tom

Thanks for posting the link to the article. No need to go into panic mode, though. I’m not a big fan of SA Chardonnay and I’ve never tasted this wine, but if irradiated L’Ormarins Chard doesn’t taste as good as sulfited L’O, people won’t buy it. End of story. As UCD prof Roger Boulton put it, “[wines] need to be properly tested by an independent panel in a blind tasting, which has to be sensory." Another term for “independent panel” is “the market”! The same goes for Kendall-Jackson—obviously, a lot of people like Chardonnay with residual sugar.

I'd say UV is a lot more natural than SO2. By the time the grapes hit the winery they will already have had a fair dose of UV.

Thanks for posting the link to the article. No need to go into panic mode, though. I’m not a big fan of SA Chardonnay and I’ve never tasted this wine, but if irradiated L’Ormarins Chard doesn’t taste as good as sulfited L’O, people won’t buy it. End of story. As UCD prof Roger Boulton put it, “[wines] need to be properly tested by an independent panel in a blind tasting, which has to be sensory." Another term for “independent panel” is “the market”! The same goes for Kendall-Jackson—obviously, a lot of people like Chardonnay with residual sugar.

Yet, oddly enough, Kendall-Jackson never had all that much residual sugar in it in the first place. And what it did have in it has not been in it for some years now. If you've had K-J recently, it's not the Chardonnay it used to be. The winemaker began several years ago to make the Chardonnay much better, to eliminate sugar as a taste component, and to pull away from the influence of barrels (or other oak ingredients). Plus, some years ago Jess Jackson made a point fo using fruit only from his varied vineyard holdings around California, which resulted in better quality and better consistency through better control of fruit source.

One must also look carefully at that suspicious bulge in Tom's cheek. I don't think he chews tobacco.

Yet, oddly enough, Kendall-Jackson never had all that much residual sugar in it in the first place. And what it did have in it has not been in it for some years now. If you've had K-J recently, it's not the Chardonnay it used to be. The winemaker began several years ago to make the Chardonnay much better, to eliminate sugar as a taste component, and to pull away from the influence of barrels (or other oak ingredients). Plus, some years ago Jess Jackson made a point fo using fruit only from his varied vineyard holdings around California, which resulted in better quality and better consistency through better control of fruit source.

Awwww, Hoke....none of us here on WLDG would ever/ever....sniff/sniff....deign to drink K-J Chard. That's waaaay below our palates and only for the common folk!!!
Actually...several months ago, at a party where the wine selection was pretty miserable (except, of course, for the btl I brought!!), I tried a taste of the K-J Vintner'sReserve Chard and was pleasantly surprised. I was expecting some sweet/goopy stuff and it spoke of Chard and was pretty dry as best I could tell. Nothing I would buy...but something I could choke down.

One must also look carefully at that suspicious bulge in Tom's cheek. I don't think he chews tobacco.

Rats...I've been outed!!! When I first saw that "suspicious bulge" in your post, Hoke...the MayWest famous quote was the first thing that came to my mind. Wishful thinking, of course!!! Or maybe not!!!
Tom

Different bulge, different place, different result.

And you're a dirty old man. Congratulations.

Great stuff Tom, got a good laugh from it.

Cheers,

Salil [presently hiding indoors with the lights also turned off to try and minimize my own exposure to those nasty UV rays!]

I
The use of dangerous gamma rays in the irradiation of foods to destroy pathogens like salmonella has been shown to have deadly effects and produce birth defects in the human fetus, resulting in babies with three arms and enlarged heads.

That does it! From now on, all of my babies will drink nothing but biodynamic wines!




And on the K-J chard, I also had some within the last couple of months and was pleasantly surprised.

Certainly one has to agree that both science and technology has been very good to wine in the last 50 or so years.

Salute

That does it! From now on, all of my babies will drink nothing but biodynamic wines!
.

Now there's a scary thought...a bunch of little Filigenzi's running around!!!

How's Darrell's move to the new store going, Mike??

Tom

Haven't heard much on the move. I was there just yesterday and it was pretty much business as usual (except that they were out of the anchovy syrup I was looking for, dang it!). I understand they have until May to vacate the current premises. Have you heard if they've definitely chosen a new location?

Have you heard if they've definitely chosen a new location?

Yeah, Mike...don't recall the address, but it was supposedly near downtown area, but just to the East of the
freeway there.
Tom

Have you heard if they've definitely chosen a new location?

Yeah, Mike...don't recall the address, but it was supposedly near downtown area, but just to the East of the
freeway there.
Tom

Have to go there to check on whether they have any Tower Shiraz left!

From the article:

Sulfites are naturally occurring compounds, usually added to wine to reduce fermentation and preserve its taste and structure. Although many drinkers blame headaches or blotchy skin on sulfites, only a small percentage suffer a true allergic reaction, which usually affects breathing, often among asthmatics. But they remain a major concern for many drinkers.

Of course, what the article doesn't point out is that sulfites "remain a major concern for many drinkers" only because the anti-alcohol lobby got the BATF to mandate the "contains sulfites" warning label.

The article does bring up a second concern with lowering or eliminating sulfites--the resulting wines will be more prone to oxidation.

-Paul W.

Paul, I agree with your not-a-major-concern theory even though I'm more sensitive than most people to sulphites. I tend to cough when I'm sniffing young white wines and grumble about the lingering stink in my JJ Prum Rieslings. But in the scheme of things it's no big deal.

UV irradiation is a great technology....it totally rejuvenated the Northeast "artisanal" [non-alcoholic] cider industry.....

Don't go outside and drink your irradiated wine in the sunlight. You might get an overdose of UV.

grumble about the lingering stink in my JJ Prum Rieslings.

Hah! Don't think you're alone there, Northwest Boy! One of the codicils required for appreciating Manfred's Riesling is getting past the sulphur.

Have you heard if they've definitely chosen a new location?

Yeah, Mike...don't recall the address, but it was supposedly near downtown area, but just to the East of the
freeway there.
Tom

Good to hear, Tom. They're being pretty closed-mouthed about it as far as I can tell.

The location you describe would be closer to my house, too. Which might not be a good thing for the checking account.