Designation for the "atypical aging tone" or "atypical aging note" in wine, emphasizing the distinction from the "true Alterston". There are many Synonyme such as acacia tone, polish tone, hybrid tone, candle wax, Mediterranean note, furniture polish, naphthalene tone, wet cardboard (papier-mâché), wet cloths, dirty cloths, mothball tone, moth powder tone, soap tone (soapy), nitrogen box tone, dull, detergent tone, and washing powder tone. As the responsible Aroma component, aminoacetophenone (AAP) was identified in 1993. The plant hormone indole Essigsäure likely has a significant share as a starting substance.
This is a natural wine substance that only causes negative sensorisch changes at higher concentrations. The Wahrnehmungs-Schwelle is at 0.5 µg/l (microgram = millionth of a gram), values between 0.5 to 1.5 µg/l are considered light UTA. In aqueous solution, the substance causes a blumig of acacia and oranges, and only through the interaction with other Aromastoffe does the typical UTA tone arise. Together with other substances, AAP is the cause of the Foxton of certain Amerikaner-Reben, especially the species Vitis labrusca. Therefore, UTA wines often exhibit this typical "foxy taste".
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Thorsten Rahn
Restaurantleiter, Sommelier, Weindozent und Autor; Dresden