Bar Fight: Maryland's Orange Crush Cocktail Claimed By Delaware As Its State Cocktail
Image Source: Rey Lopez
Pour equal parts vodka, triple sec, and fresh orange juice into an ice-filled pint glass, top with lemon-lime soda, and serve. The Orange Crush is a straightforward summer cocktail. So is its undisputed history: it was invented and named in 1995 at the Harborside Bar & Grill in Ocean City, Maryland. However, the neighboring state of Delaware introduced a new bill last month proclaiming the Orange Crush its official state cocktail. The bill claims “The Orange Crush has been made famous and become synonymous with Dewey Beach, Delaware," specifically at The Starboard bar. Who really owns this highly quaffable thirst-quencher? The impending signature of Delaware Governor John Carney may soon end the drink's debate.
Cornell Researchers Identify Cause Of Rotten Egg Smell In Canned Wine
Image Source: Javier Zayas
In bottles, wine ages well. In cans, not so much. Cornell University researchers Gavin Sacks and Julie Goddard have discovered why. Winemakers regularly use sulphur dioxide (SO2) as an antioxidant and antimicrobial. At concentrations higher than 0.5 ppm, the SO2 bypasses the can liner and reacts with the aluminum itself, forming hydrogen sulphide, which emits the dreaded rotten egg smell. To avoid it, Sacks and Goddard recommend using cans lined with epoxy and keeping SO2 at or below 0.4 ppm in the wine. Because no one wants to drink a rotten egg.
Wine Pros Debate Flaws And Fringe Benefits Of Brettanomyces
Image Source: Morsa Images
Brettanomyces yeast thrives on grapes, oak barrels, walls, and in the air. During the winemaking process, "brett" imparts aromas of sweat, barnyard, bacon, and leather to wine. Some wine professionals call those no-no's. “I think that any recognizable or detectable presence of brett in wine is a flaw,” says Peter Gago, head winemaker at Australia's Penfolds winery. Others disagree. “The chemical composition of dirty socks and sweaty flavors is the same as that found in aged cheese,” says Heather Hyung Chang, a consumer and sensory scientist, and the CEO of Advintage Wine. So is brett a wine flaw or a flavor component? You be the judge.
Most Bottles Of Water Contain About A Quarter Million Nanoplastics, New Study Finds
Image Source: Emil Lippe
Using hyperspectral stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy, researchers at Columbia University and elsewhere found between 110,000 and 370,000 nanoparticles (mostly nanoplastics) per liter of water in three popular bottled water brands. The new SRS technology revealed nanoplastic content that is 10 to 100 times higher than previously estimated. The bottled water study follows new research from Consumer Reports that found microplastics in 84 out of 85 foods tested. While science hasn't yet found clear evidence of nanoplastics' human health effects, some researchers say nanoplastics may have a greater impact than microplastics because they enter cells more easily and in greater numbers. Want to avoid drinking excessive nanoplastics? Go for filtered tap water and use stainless steel or glass bottles when possible.
New Computer Model Defines Wine Terroir With Chemical Data
Image Source: AFP
"Terroir" is part soil, part microclimate, part winemaking method, and part marketing. A new computer model aims to clarify the muddy concept with objective measurements. Alex Pouget from the University of Geneva, and Stephanie Marchand from Bordeaux's Institute of Vine and Wine Science, began with a database of 80 wines of various vintages from seven chateaus, each with a unique chemical signature determined by gas chromatography. The researchers created an algorithm that spots patterns and groups wines into distinct clusters matching their geographic location. Essentially, the algorithm reveals the meaning of "terroir" in chemical detail, confirming what vintners have been claiming for centuries. Industry experts also hope the computer model will help root out fraud among expensive wines.
Penedès To Become World's First 100% Organic Wine D.O.
Image Source: Tim Mossholder
In 2025, the Spanish Penedès region, just south of Barcelona, will formalize the area's common production practices and become the world's first 100% organic wine-producing D.O. (Denominación de Origen, a regulated geographic designation). The region currently produces 18 million bottles of still wine and 1 million bottles of sparkling wine a year. In addition to the organic requirement, D.O. Penedès plans to prioritize its indigenous white Xarel.lo grape, which provides the acidic backbone to its famous Cava sparkling wine. Pop the cork for Penedès protecting its good name in the wine world.
