Grape skins can absorb the aromatic alcohols released from burning wood, giving wine a campfire or ashtray flavor known as smoke taint. The off-putting flavors are more pronounced in red wines-especially those made with thin-skinned pinot noir grapes.
She knew the gamay-pinot noir blend, known as Passetoutgrain, wouldn't work, and decided to make vermouth instead. Vermouth is typically composed of brandy, wine, botanicals, and sugar.
"It was not something I set out to learn, but now that I've discovered it, I think the process is so beautiful," Kimmel says, noting that she was inspired by Oregon natural winemakers Kelley Fox and Stephanie Sprinkle's 2020 vermouth.
As wildfires increase, many vineyards and winemakers are adapting. The 2020 Labor Day fires affected about 62% of Oregon winegrowers. To avoid waste and recoup costs, winemakers are using smoke-tainted grapes innovatively.
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