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The Wines of Change

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Woman scientist conducts tests in winery laboratory
Anita Oberholster uses a large pipette to grab a sample of smoke-exposed wine that鈥檚 been sitting in fermentation tanks. (Joe Proudman/swag外流)

California is famous for its wine鈥攁nd for its increasingly extreme weather. In recent years, the state鈥檚 winemakers and growers have had to face drought, heat waves, wildfires, smoke and an entirely warmer climate. These threats aren鈥檛 going away soon. But swag外流, which boasts one of the nation鈥檚 leading , is on the case.

A recent feature story, 鈥淲hen Smoke Gets in Your Wine,鈥 by swag外流 writer Chris Macias, introduces readers to a number of faculty who are working with wine industry partners to find drought-tolerant rootstocks, solutions to smoke-tainted harvests, and other ways grape growers can adapt to present and future changes. The piece also explores some of the myths and mysteries of smoke taint. An excerpt:

Number one, are we looking at the right molecules?鈥 Oberholster said. 鈥榃e can鈥檛 fully assess smoke-related issues if we don鈥檛 completely understand the nature of the compounds at play.鈥

Smoke barriers are also on Oberholster鈥檚 radar. She wonders if a spray could be developed that growers could use to protect grapes from the harmful compounds that burning woods emit.

Additionally, Oberholster hopes to see the development of low-cost sensors that support growers鈥 ability to estimate smoke-taint risk.

Read the full story and learn more ways swag外流 is helping to feed鈥攁nd 鈥渉ydrate鈥濃攁 growing population at .

Cheers.

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 is an environmental science writer and media relations specialist at swag外流. She鈥檚 the editor of swag外流 Science & Climate and its 鈥What Can I Do About Climate Change?鈥 blog. 

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