The History of Chemistry

94: Grape Expectations

Steve Cohen Episode 94

We hear about the chemistry behind winemaking, especially the discovery that a fungus generates the alcohol. Then there are the other residues from the grapes that help to shape a wine's special flavor. The final component we talk about is the sugar that feeds the yeast, but also adds a sweetness to the wine. We also hear about two serious European scandals that rocked wineries in Austria and Italy in the mid-1980s.

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