Imbibe wasn’t all about imbibing at Olympia this week.

There was a serious amount of education , including  excellent presentations on Wine Faults and Wine and food matching.

The main wine faults include –

1) Oxidation , which can cause the formation of

ACETALDEHYDES –sherry character

ETHYL-ACETATE-nail polish aroma

ACETIC ACID- vinegar nose

2) Reduction, from too little Oxygen –

poor nose ,cabbage unpleasant.

Also lack of Nitrogen stresses fermenting yeast resulting in Hydrogen Sulphide formation which can give rubber and rotten egg aromas.

3) IPMP (2 isopropyl 3 methoxy d3 pyrazine )

Green pepper/ capsicum aromas

4) Anisoles , flat dead wines ,cardboard .(As little as 1 Nanogram detectable!)

TBA from wood preservatives,pesticides

TCA and TeCA from microbes in the cork

5) Brettanomyces  , Yeast can develop in barrels, which can produce

4Ethylphenol-  dirty nappy,band aid horsebox aroma

4Ethylguaiacol-bacon ,spice,clove ,smoke ,leather aromas

 

6) Geosmin (Jos-min) earthy ,beetroot , aroma after rainfall on soil (petrichor)

A Terpene made by Streptomyces bacteria.

 

After a serious 45 minutes of information it was time for the real fun ..Absinthe , Creme de Cassis , Artisan beers , Pure Vodkas and general amazement of everything on display !

I recommend 2 days at Imbibe next year.