Want to remove “off” flavors from your wine? Just throw a few magnets into your glass (sort of)

Calling all wine connoisseurs: a new study is about to change the way you consume your favorite after-work beverage — well, sort of. According to a study published in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Australian scientists have discovered a way to remove “off” flavors from your trusty bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Get this: It’s tiny magnetic particles.

Isn’t science magnificent? While every wine bottle contains substances that contribute to its distinctive aromas and flavors, an excessive amount of a substance called alkylmethoxypyrazines (MPs) can actually overwhelm and alter a wine’s usual taste, giving it a vegetable-like flavor. As Science Daily explained,

"These off-putting aromas and flavors often arise in grapes that are harvested early or are grown in cool climates. Vintners [winemakers] have unsuccessfully tried to remediate this problem by using additives such as activated charcoal and deodorized oak chips."

This is where the magnetic particles come in.

Since incorporating additives proved unsuccessful, researchers tested something called magnetic polymers in Cabernet Sauvignon to separate substances contributing to the “off” flavor. They hoped the magnetic polymers would “isolate and sop up” the substances, according to researcher David Jeffery, and they did just that. Researchers found that the magnetic polymers separated the off-putting substances without compromising the flavor and aroma of the wine. 

According to Jeffery, this has potential to be tested in other wines, too. No word yet on whether we can throw magnets into that old bottle of wine that’s been sitting on the counter to bring it back to life, but here’s hoping!