The Provable Theory of Terroir July 02, 2021
Twenty-seven compounds were quantified and used to classify and/or discriminate Malbec wines. Those compounds included 12 anthocyanins and 15 LMW phenolic compounds comprising phenolic acids, flavanols, stilbenes and phenyl-eth- anol analogues.
ONE AFTERNOON IN 1981, Dr. Ralph Kunkee sat on my porch along with nine winemakers from Sonoma Valley. Kunkee was the microbiology specialist at UC Davis for 30 years, focusing on wine yeast, malolactic fermentation, and the sources of microbiological spoilage in wine. I had invited him to give a 15-minute lecture on his specialty and then followed up with a 90-minute question and answer period with the winemakers.