Abstract
The “fresh mushroom aroma” has been recognized by the wine industry as an emerging defectsince the 2000s. For many years, this off-flavour was not specifically characterized and rather grouped under “earthy” and “musty” taints. However, it has become increasingly problematic due to its rising prevalence. After five years of collaborative research, new markers have been identified for monitoring this novel risk. These findings enhance our understanding of the “fresh mushroom off-flavour” throughout the entire winemaking process, from vineyard cultivation to wine production. The first part focused on determining mycobiota dynamics from vine to wine and identified members of the Penicillium genus as specifically associated with this off-flavour in wines. The second part provided practical benefits for oenologists as we identified a new chemical marker most likely associated with the early stages of this defect development. 1-hydroxyoctan-3-one was identified for the first time as a significant volatile marker involved in “fresh mushroom aroma”. Combined together, these research advances expand our current knowledge, and provide novel solutions and tools for effectively preventing “fresh mushroom aroma” off-flavour in wines.