Atomic bomb testing to help combat wine fraud
Atomic bomb testing from the late 1940s up to 1963 significantly increased the amount of carbon-14 (C-14) in the atmosphere. This radioactive carbon is absorbed by grape plants and eventually finds its way into wine itself.
Since atomic tests stopped in 1963, levels of C-14 have reduced relative carbon-12 (C-12) – a more stable and abundant form of carbon dioxide.
Lead researcher Graham Jones said: “When the tests stopped in 1963 a clock was set ticking — that of the dilution of this "bomb-pulse" C-14 by CO2 formed by the burning of fossil fuels.”
Pinpointing the vintage
Because of this dilution, scientists from the University of Adelaide, claim that by measuring the relative amounts of carbon-12 and carbon-14 in wine produced from the early 1960s, they are able to pinpoint the vintage of a wine.
The scientists tested the C-14 isotope ratio of 20 Australian red wines with vintages from 1958 and 1997 using an analytical device called an accelerator mass spectrometer. Comparing these measurements to the reactivity levels of known atmospheric samples, they found that the vintages of the wines could be reliably determined.
Lead researcher Graham Jones, who presented the findings at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) this week, claims that his atomic inspired technique could help the wine industry fight forgeries.
Wine fraud
Some experts claim that up to 5 per cent of fine wine sold today is fake. Mis-labelling of the vintage is one of the common ways to defraud consumers because wine quality can vary significantly from year to year. Jones and his team claim their new technique could help fight this particular method of selling fake wine.
Jonessaid: “The problem goes beyond ordinary consumers being overcharged for a bottle of expensive wine of a famous winery with a great year listed on the label.
“Connoisseurs collect vintage wines and prices have soared with 'investment wines' selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars a case at auction.”
