第1976期:Universities Work to Protect American Wine Grapes from Wildfire Smoke

The West Coast of the United States produces over 90 percent of America’s wine, an alcoholic drink. However, the area is also prone to wildfires. 

美国 90% 以上的葡萄酒（一种酒精饮料）产自美国西海岸。然而，该地区也容易发生野火。 

Such fires cost the American wine industry billions of dollars in 2020. The smoke affects the flavor of the growing grapes that later become the wine. And, the flavor is undesirable, say some wine drinkers. 

2020 年，此类火灾给美国葡萄酒行业造成了数十亿美元的损失。烟雾影响了正在生长的葡萄的风味，这些葡萄后来成为葡萄酒。而且，一些葡萄酒饮用者说，这种味道并不受欢迎。 

So, wine experts from state universities in the area are working together to protect wine grapes from wildfire smoke. 

因此，该地区州立大学的葡萄酒专家正在共同努力，保护酿酒葡萄免受野火烟雾的影响。

In 2020, economists say, wildfires caused billions of dollars of losses, which included the wine industry. 

经济学家表示，2020 年山火造成了数十亿美元的损失，其中包括葡萄酒行业。 

As a result, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is paying for grape research at some state schools. They include University of California, Davis (UC Davis), Oregon State University and Washington State University. The research investment is worthy, agriculture officials say, because wine grapes are America’s highest-value crop. 

因此，美国农业部正在为一些州立学校的葡萄研究付费。它们包括加州大学戴维斯分校（UC Davis）、俄勒冈州立大学和华盛顿州立大学。农业官员表示，这项研究投资是值得的，因为酿酒葡萄是美国价值最高的作物。

Tom Collins is a wine scientist at Washington State. He said “the ability to continue to make wine” is at risk in areas where smoke might be more common. 

汤姆·柯林斯 (Tom Collins) 是华盛顿州的葡萄酒科学家。他表示，在烟雾可能更常见的地区，“继续酿酒的能力”面临风险。 

Cole Cerrato is a researcher working on the problem in Oregon. He stood in Oregon State’s vineyard, near the small town of Alpine. He lit a fire and blew the smoke through a hose and into a row of grapes covered in plastic. 

科尔·塞拉托 (Cole Cerrato) 是俄勒冈州研究该问题的研究员。他站在俄勒冈州的葡萄园里，靠近阿尔卑斯小镇。他点燃了火，然后通过软管将烟雾吹进一排覆盖着塑料的葡萄中。 

Cerrato and other researchers have done this before. They turned the treated grapes into wine. The result was, the wine had an unpleasant flavor of smoke and ash. 

Cerrato 和其他研究人员之前就已经这样做过。他们将经过处理的葡萄变成了葡萄酒。结果是，这款酒带有令人不愉快的烟味和灰烬味。

The scientists are working to find a way to keep the smoke from getting through the grape skins and creating a bad taste in the wine. 

科学家们正在努力寻找一种方法来防止烟雾穿过葡萄皮并在葡萄酒中产生不良味道。

Some are trying to create a process that will treat wine and remove the smokiness. But they are concerned such a process might remove some of the wine’s good flavors, too. 

有些人正在尝试创造一种处理葡萄酒并去除烟熏味的工艺。但他们担心这样的过程也可能会消除葡萄酒的一些良好风味。 

Others think they can combine smoke-affected grapes with other grapes. The mix might lessen the smoky flavor. 

其他人则认为他们可以将受烟雾影响的葡萄与其他葡萄结合起来。这种混合可能会减少烟熏味。 

And Collins is working on a spray made from water and a kind of clay that would protect the grapes from smoke. But all the grapes would need to be washed first before being turned into wine. 

柯林斯正在研究一种由水和一种粘土制成的喷雾，可以保护葡萄免受烟雾的侵害。但所有的葡萄在变成酒之前都需要先清洗。 

Oregon State is experimenting with a similar spray treatment for grapes. 

俄勒冈州正在试验对葡萄进行类似的喷雾处理。 

In addition, the USDA has provided $7 million toward setting up smoke sensors in vineyards. 

此外，美国农业部还提供了 700 万美元用于在葡萄园安装烟雾传感器。 

Anita Oberholster is leading the efforts to save the wine grapes at UC Davis. In an internet post by UC Davis, she said a network of sensors would help grape growers learn if their grapes are at risk. In addition, the readings from the sensors will permit the growers to prove their grapes are free from smoke damage. 

安妮塔·奥伯霍尔斯特 (Anita Oberholster) 正在领导拯救加州大学戴维斯分校酿酒葡萄的工作。她在加州大学戴维斯分校的一篇互联网帖子中表示，传感器网络将帮助葡萄种植者了解他们的葡萄是否面临风险。此外，传感器的读数将使种植者能够证明他们的葡萄没有受到烟雾的损害。

Winemakers are glad that the universities are working to help the industry. Greg Jones runs the Abacela winery in southern Oregon and is the director of the state’s winemaking trade group. 

酿酒师很高兴大学正在努力帮助该行业。格雷格·琼斯（Greg Jones）经营着俄勒冈州南部的阿巴塞拉酒庄，也是该州酿酒贸易集团的主管。 

He said the research has “gone a long way.” Now the grape-growers can quickly find out if the fruit has been hurt by the smoke. In the past, winemakers would not know about the wine until it was ready to drink. 

他说这项研究“取得了长足的进步”。现在，葡萄种植者可以快速查明果实是否受到烟雾的损害。过去，酿酒师直到酒准备好饮用时才知道它的情况。 

“I think it’s increasingly clear that we’re not likely to find a magic bullet,” Collins said. But, he said, the researchers will find ways to keep the wine business successful. 

“我认为越来越明显的是，我们不太可能找到灵丹妙药，”柯林斯说。但是，他说，研究人员将找到保持葡萄酒业务成功的方法。