From Hyperspectral Insight to Handheld Impact: Year Three of Smoke Taint Detection Completed

Bushfire smoke remains one of the most unpredictable and costly risks facing wine producers. While laboratory analysis can detect smoke taint compounds with precision, it is slow, expensive, and impractical for rapid decision-making in the vineyard.

Over the past three seasons, Compolytics — together with researchers from Adelaide University and industry partners across Australia and the United States — has been building one of the most comprehensive spectral datasets ever collected on smoke-exposed grapes.

With the successful completion of the third year of field trials, an important milestone has now been reached.

While early work relied on high-end scientific instrumentation capturing more than 2,000 spectral bands, the key question was always whether this depth of insight could ultimately translate into something practical for everyday vineyard use.

This season, that transition moved a decisive step forward.

Using the Compolytics ScanCorder in its VI-VNIR configuration, we have demonstrated that smoke taint signatures can be detected in real time using just 14 carefully selected spectral bands. Instead of reconstructing complex hyperspectral signatures, vegetation indices derived from these bands now provide actionable information directly in the field.

The implications are significant:

• Real-time detection instead of delayed lab results
• A fraction of the cost of scientific-grade equipment
• A robust handheld format suitable for vineyard operation

What began as a research-driven hyperspectral exploration is steadily evolving into a practical decision-support tool for growers and winemakers.

With three seasons of validated data now in hand, the path from scientific discovery to operational technology is becoming tangible — bringing the industry closer to rapid, accessible smoke taint risk assessment when and where it matters most.