The scientific puzzle that is rotundone

Rotundone continues to both baffle and delight the experts. Since 2007, when an AWRI team revealed that this compound found in grape skins is responsible for the distinctive black pepper flavours in many Shiraz wines, scientists have been working to understand the factors that influence its presence and potency. However, each new discovery brings new questions. Why, for example, is the impact greatest in cool climate regions and on the cool side of the grapes when standard chemistry tells us that chemical reactions typically run faster when it is hotter?