523th MEETING Of the NORTHEAST TENNESSEE SECTION

Date: Monday, March 19, 2001

Location: Eastman Lodge

Speaker: J. Ernest Simpson

Title: Chemistry of Wine

Abstract: The talk will include an overview of wine and wine making and more detailed descriptions of the chemical composition of grapes and wine, laboratory methods for analysis of grapes and wines, sensory and organoleptic methods used for wine, the role of tannin and other phenolic compounds in wine, and some potential health aspects of wine. It will be preceded by combined "component and varietal analysis", which allows audience participation. During a component analysis the audience will be given a reference wine sample with known levels of components such as acid, sugar, alcohol, etc. and then "unknown" samples in which one or more components have been increased by a known increment. During a varietal analysis a representative number of white and red wines will be compared.

Biographical Sketch: Dr. Ernest Simpson joined the Chemistry Dept. at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, in 1968 after completing his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. (organic chemistry) at the University of New Mexico and spending one year as a visiting chemistry professor at Pomona College. In 1973-74 he took leave as a visiting research associate in the Dept. of Enology and Viticulture at U.C./Davis. He is an active member of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture, has served on the editorial review board committee for the society's journal, and has published a California wine guide. At Cal Poly he has developed industrial chemistry and cooperative education courses/programs, and is currently the Director of Cooperative Education. His research interests are in the areas of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Carbon-13-labeled compounds, and phenolic compounds, especially in grapes and wine. His awards include Exceptional Merit Service Awards at Cal Poly, outstanding advisor in the College of Science, and his co-op program was chosen as the best in CA. He is a member of ACS (San Gorgonio section chairman, 1973), California Association of Chemistry Teachers (program chairman and southern section president, 1985-87), California Cooperative Education Association (president 1996-97), and Sigma XI.