From Flames to Flavor: How Wildfires Impact Our Favorite Wines

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Kennedy Saves the World

Episode: From Flames to Flavor: How Wildfires Impact Our Favorite Wines
Host: Kennedy (Fox News Podcasts)
Guest: Dr. Elizabeth Tomasino, Professor at Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences
Date: January 21, 2026

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Main Theme

This episode dives into the relationship between wildfires and the wines we love—especially focusing on how smoke from wildfires can impact vineyards, grapes, and ultimately, the flavor of wines such as the prized Oregon Pinot Noir. Host Kennedy is joined by Dr. Elizabeth Tomasino, a leading expert in Pinot Noir research, to unpack the latest science, share personal stories, and discuss what wine lovers need to know about the challenges and adaptations facing the wine industry in wildfire-prone regions.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. How Dr. Tomasino Got Started (01:19–02:57)

• Dr. Tomasino’s path: From food science in New Zealand to an academic and research career in Oregon, all centered on Pinot Noir.
• Spark for wildfire/smoke research: The increase in wildfires from 2017 onward in California spurred investigation into “smoke taint”—when smoke affects grape chemistry and wine flavor.

Notable insight:
“If you had smoke in the vineyard for long enough, there could be some different flavors occurring in the corresponding grapes and wines, and not necessarily flavors we associate with positive qualities in wine.”
— Dr. Tomasino (02:18)

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2. How Smoke Affects Grapes and Wine (02:57–03:36)

• Not all smoke exposure leads to issues, but sufficient and/or close exposure can introduce unpleasant “ashy aftertaste.”
• Level of impact depends on proximity, duration, and density of the smoke.

Quote:
“If you have enough smoke for a long enough time, you get an ashy aftertaste. To me, it’s like a mouthful of old cigarette smoke.”
— Dr. Tomasino (03:02)

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3. Proximity: How Close Is Too Close? (03:31–04:23)

• Closer proximity to wildfire = greater risk of “smoke taint.”
• Distant smoke (e.g., hundreds of miles) generally doesn’t cause grape problems.
• Other factors: wind, temperature, duration.

Quote:
“It’s hard because it’s not a single, like, miles because there’s wind speed and temperature. But, you know, you’re 50, 50 to 100 miles, you start getting beyond there, you’re not going to be nearly as problematic.”
— Dr. Tomasino (03:50)

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4. Protecting Grapes: Can It Be Done? (04:23–05:52)

• Ongoing research into vineyard sprays to prevent smoke absorption.
• Current solutions only partially effective and may conflict with organic certification, though waivers are possible in emergencies.

Quote:
“We are making some progress…you can go out and spray and hopefully protect your grapes that way.”
— Dr. Tomasino (04:55)

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5. The 2020 Crisis: Billions Lost (05:52–07:41)

• The 2020 wildfires devastated West Coast wine, causing $3.5 to $4 billion in losses.
• Many wineries chose not to pick or produce wine; failed attempts to “cleanse” tainted wine often ruined its positive qualities.
• “Problem wines” are generally not released to market.

Quote:
“You won’t see the problematic ones on the shelf. There is a reputation for that. So you might not be able to find your wine, but you should be able to find 2020s…the wine that’s on the shelf should be safe.”
— Dr. Tomasino (07:15)

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6. The Job Perks—and Perils—of Wine Science (07:41–09:30)

• Sensory panels mean frequent tasting, but actual “enjoyment” requires switching off the analytical mindset.
• Dr. Tomasino enjoys sparkling wines, especially Prosecco—“You can always…drink bubbles. Sparkling wine.” (09:09)

Fun moment:
“That depends on the time of year, but I will…you can always—no time of year, time of day—drink bubbles.”
— Dr. Tomasino (09:09)

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7. Regional Comparison: Oregon vs. California Pinot Noir (11:43–12:54)

• Oregon’s cooler climate leads to more balanced, complex Pinot Noir.
• California Pinot can be “a little too jammy or a little too big,” while Oregon offers “well balanced, complex, cool climate Pinot Noir.”

Quote:
“Pinot Noir is not supposed to be an in-your-face jam bomb, for lack of a better word…if I want, you know, a good, well-balanced, complex, cool climate Pinot Noir, I’m going to Oregon for that.”
— Dr. Tomasino (12:36)

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8. Favorite Wineries and Wines (12:58–14:22)

• Kennedy recommends Ardiri Winery, and Dr. Tomasino mentions preferences for Iola Amity Hills, Dundee Hills, and Yamhill Carlton wines for their diversity.
• Vineyard settings and personal connections enhance tasting experiences.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “It’s part of my job to taste wine. It’s different from drinking wine, but tasting wine.”
  — Dr. Tomasino (07:59)
• “Every day is a celebration.”
  — Kennedy (09:22)
• “I consider [not liking white wine] a challenge. We’d find one you’d like. It could just take a little while.”
  — Dr. Tomasino (11:38)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction & Wildfire context: 00:10–01:17
• Dr. Tomasino’s background: 01:19–02:57
• Smoke flavor effects: 02:57–03:36
• Proximity & risk factors: 03:31–04:23
• Efforts to protect grapes: 04:23–05:52
• 2020 wildfires impact: 05:52–07:41
• Wine scientist’s daily life: 07:41–09:30
• Sparkling wine discussion: 09:09–10:27
• Regional wine differences: 11:43–12:54
• Favorite vineyards/wines: 12:58–14:22

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Takeaways

• Wildfire smoke poses a serious and complex threat to the flavor and quality of wine, especially in West Coast regions, but the industry is actively seeking solutions.
• Dr. Tomasino provides expertise and reassurance: the problematic wines rarely make it to shelves, making 2020s that are available trustworthy.
• Oregon Pinot Noir stands out for its balance and complexity, a product of the region’s ideal climate.
• Wine science is both a job and a passion, and a little scientific expertise can make every glass more interesting (and sometimes more celebratory).

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[End of Summary]

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

Hello and welcome to this episode of Kennedy Saves the World. So we know there have been wildfires that ravage Northern California almost constantly. I have a home in Pacific Palisades that survived. The Southern California wildfires aren't even wildfires. I mean, one of them is arson. Were absolutely devastating. But if you think about the Willamette Valley in, mostly in Oregon, in some of Washington state, and in the wine producing region in Northern California where there are a lot of wildfires, what does that do to the grapes? Especially my beloved Oregon Pinot Noir. So that's. It's all going to change and potentially taint the grapes with smoke. Taint. But what does that do to the wine? And are those vines salvageable? Elizabeth Tomasino joins me. She's a professor at Oregon State University's College of Agricultural Sciences. Elizabeth, welcome to Kennedy Saves the World.

[A]

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

[B]

So how did you get started in researching wine and grapes and the effect of wildfires on our beloved Pinot Noir grapes?

[A]

I actually specialize in Pinot Noir research all the way back from my doctor's. So started in food science and became interested in the chemistry and flavor chemistry in particular, and made my way into wine and got my doctorate in New Zealand, where I started on Pinot Noir terroir and the chemical markers and sensory markers for New Zealand based regional wines. And then I ended up in Oregon because, of course, Pinot Noir is one of our flagship varieties here. And the involvement in smoke exposure actually came about due to some colleagues in Washington State and UC Davis. And we were, what, 2017 in California had experienced quite a number of wildfires. There had been issues in Australia beforehand, but luckily the wine industry had not seen them here. But with more wildfires, they were noticing the wine was tasting different. Interesting. So just looking into this, was this, how much did we have to worry about it? Because most of the time you think about wildfire, we think about you don't want to breathe in the smoke. Of course, bad for human health, the devastation that can come with things that burn. But something odd that was noticing was if you had smoke in the vineyard for long enough, there could be some different flavors occurring in the corresponding grapes and wines, and not necessarily flavors we associate with positive qualities in wine.

[B]

Does it taste smoky? Does it taste like Scotch?

[A]

If, if you have enough smoke? Because not all smoke causes the problem, but if you have enough smoke for a long enough time, you get an ashy aftertaste. To me, it's like a mouthful of old cigarette smoke. But as I Said that depends on you need smoke for long enough time. Not all smoke does it. So that's also part of the issue. You know, not one size fits all. If you smoke in the vineyard, doesn't mean you're gonna have problematic grapes, but you could.

[B]

So a lot of research typically, does it have to burn in order to really affect the outcome?

[A]

You know, it really comes to how close you are to the actual fire, because the closer you are to the fire, the more of the compounds that make smoke smell like smoke are there. So the closer you are to the fire, the greater the risk of impacting quality on grapes. So we had. God, it was many years ago. There was that big fire, I think, down Arizona or something like that. And it was so big that the smoke was coming all the way up to Oregon and Washington. We didn't have any problems because that burn was so far away. So you're kind of looking. It's hard because it's not a single, like, miles because there's wind speed and temperature. But, you know, you're 50, 50 to 100 miles, you start getting beyond there, you're not going to be nearly as problematic the closer you are to that burn.

[B]

Is there any way of protecting the grapes while the brush and everything is burning around them?

[A]

Well, so there is some research trying to see if there are things we could spray on the grapes to stop them absorbing these. These smelly smoke compounds. A lot of that work is in progress because it only. Only works for some of the compounds and not all of the compounds. But we are making some progress in being able to. To, you know, someone's like, oh, there's a fire. Smoke's coming in. You can go out and spray and hope, hopefully protect your grapes that way.

[B]

That's amazing. And so if you have. Because I know, you know, in Oregon, maybe more so than California and other parts of the world, there are a lot of organic vineyards. So if you spray something on your grapes to protect them from wildfire smoke, does that mean that they are no longer organic?

[A]

So that's actually interesting. And I will say I'm not an organic expert, but I do know in special circumstances, there are sort of waivers you can have for different products. So we have not yet looked at if. If any of these things are organic. Some of them might be. I don't. I haven't actually investigated yet if they're organic, but if they're not organic, there. There may be the possibility for a waiver for. In an extreme situation such as smoke, that even if you are Organic producer. You are allowed to use. Use these products. They're very different from pesticides and things like. Things like that. It's very, very different.

[B]

And how. So what's an example you can think of where a vineyard had grapes that were so affected by the smoke that it really. You could really taste it. It truly compromised the product. What do they do? Do they just have to throw everything away?

[A]

Like, give me an example. 2020 is a great example of that on the west coast, because every single California, Oregon, which is, I want to say, 98% of wine grapes come from the West Coast. There were more than. Yep, there were. There were. I believe it's between 3.5 and $4 billion loss.

[B]

Whoa.

[A]

And a lot of people didn't pick, and some people picked and tried to do something, but there's nothing that just takes care of or removes smoke taint. We are working on it. We're making progress. But at the moment, to. To sort of mitigate or treat the wine, to remove those characters, you remove a lot of other things that make wine taste nice. So a lot of people didn't produce wine that year. Maybe you didn't see your. Your top quality pinot off the shelf. There were some wineries that managed to do that, but yeah, there was. There was a lot. There were a lot of grapes that didn't get picked or got picked and a lot of wine that went down the drain.

[B]

Dang. Should you avoid 2020 wines because of that?

[A]

No, because the thing is, you won't see the problematic ones on the shelf. There is a reputation for that. So you might not be able to find your wine, but you should be able to find 2000s. And again, a winery is not going to release a wine that. That is vastly, vastly different or problematic for their other wines because, of course, people go, that's not my normal wine. I don't like that. I'm not going to have that wine. So they're, of course, only going to produce a wine that meets their quality. So your 2020 should be safe. That are on the shelf.

[B]

How often do you drink wine?

[A]

It depends. So we do a lot of sensory panels, which means we have lots of wines open every day. And I tend to skew to other alcohol when that happens. But I mean, I easily. You're drinking wine, at least on average, once a day.

[B]

Nice.

[A]

It's part of my job to taste wine. It's different from drinking wine, but tasting wine.

[B]

Do you enjoy it still? I mean, if you are going through your own scientific process as a Scientist. And, you know, you are differentiating and you are thinking and comparing. Is it still enjoyable?

[A]

Yes, but I have to turn part of my brain off. So, like, if I'm out with friends or we're just having a dinner, it's fun. So I turn. I have to turn a little bit of that scientific part off to sit there and really just enjoy. Enjoy myself from that aspect.

[B]

Do your friends make you order wine when you go out?

[A]

My father likes to do that. No. I'm very big on asking people. A lot of times they say, oh, what would you recommend? Always, like, well, what are you. Like, what are you thinking? Or do you want to be adventuresome? So I do. I do do get to do that a bit.

[B]

Could you be a sommelier? You have expertise based on that?

[A]

I have a lot of information, but an aspect of sommelier is serving wine as well. So it's a little different from being like a master of wine or like, I have a doctorate in wine science specific. So it would take a little bit of extra training to be sommelier.

[B]

What is your favorite?

[A]

Oh, see, that depends on the time of year, but I will sell. You say you can always. No time of year, time of day. Drink bubbles. Sparkling wine.

[B]

Oh, you. You love it or you don't like it?

[A]

I love it. You can drink it anytime.

[B]

I do, too. I think every day is a celebration.

[A]

Yep. Oh, I like that there's. There's someone's like, oh, but are we celebrating something? You don't need to celebrate something.

[B]

Yes, we're celebrating the. The fact that we are able to go out together and commune and raise a glass.

[A]

Yep, yep.

[B]

So what are your favorite bubbles?

[A]

Like?

[B]

Is it champagne? Is it cava?

[A]

Oh, I actually really like Prosecco.

[B]

Okay, very good.

[A]

But I like to try some unique ones, like Sect. Sparkling Riesling I once had, and I've never found it again. It was a sparkling Viognier from Virginia, and I wish I could find it again because it was a really cool wine. But I've had a sparkling Chenin Blanc. I think Oregon could make some really nice sparkling Pinot Gris.

[B]

Yeah, that sounds lovely.

[A]

Like, I love to. I've tried a range of sparkling red wines, which take a little bit to get used to.

[B]

I don't like sparkling red wine, but I love Brut rose. That has some Pinot Noir grapes in it.

[A]

Yep, yep. That's always good.

[B]

Don't go anywhere more. Kennedy Saves the World right after this. This is Ainsley Earhart. Thank you for joining me for the 52 episode podcast series, the Life of Jesus.

[A]

A listening experience that will provide hope, comfort, and understanding of the greatest story ever told. Listen and follow [e-mail] or wherever you listen to podcasts.

[B]

I just can't go wrong. A few bottles of Gosset, which I'm told is the oldest champagne vineyard in France.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And oldest continuous. And the sommelier where I was the other night said, you have to try the Grand Brute Rose. And I was like, okay, so I haven't had it yet.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

I'm really excited about that.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

And I want Oregon to produce the best everything. I know you're originally from Boston, but.

[A]

Oregon, if you like sparkling. We have amazing sparkling too. They're making even more of it now.

[B]

Oh, good. Nice. I was at a wine tasting, and the presenter was like, and here is this blah, blah, blah from California. And I was like, they had two reds and two whites, and I can't stand white wine. Sorry, no offense.

[A]

And I was like, see, I consider that a challenge. We'd find one you'd like. It could just take a little while.

[B]

I've tried white wine that I like, but I would never replicate and be like, oh, I'm craving that so deeply. Look at it in my face. But I asked this soma. I was like, why don't you have Oregon Pinot? It's the best Pinot Noir in the world. And he was like, oh, I've worked in Oregon and I've lived in Oregon and still didn't answer my question. Do you think that Oregon Pinot Noir is superior to California?

[A]

I will say yes on that one. I've drunk a lot of Pinot Noir, even though I know a lot of Pitot down there. It is a slightly different style.

[B]

What is different about it?

[A]

Oregon or the California?

[B]

Both. What. What is the difference between Oregon Pinot Noir and California?

[A]

Well, personally, in Oregon, you do the. The weather is perfect, so sometimes California gets a little too hot. It can be a little too jammy or a little too big. Like, Pinot Noir is not supposed to be an in your face jam bomb, for lack of a better word. No, you do get some lovely Pinot Noirs from, like, Russian River Carneros. You can get some beautiful sparkling from Pinot Noir. But normally, if I'm. I want, you know, a good ele. Well balanced, complex, cool climate Pinot Noir, I'm going to Oregon for that.

[B]

What. What are some of your favorite Pinot Noirs?

[A]

Oh, I mean, there's. There's so many. I'M a fan of the. I mean, they're all slightly different. You have to realize I've tasted so many of them at this point, and it's very rare to have a problematic one. I mean, I do like the Iola Amity Hills. I like a little bit of dark fruit in my Pinot Noir, but then I've had some beautiful red fruit, floral ones from Dundee Hills. You know, you have lovely Yamhill Carlton fruit again. It's like there's. There's one for everyone.

[B]

Have you ever.

[A]

Which one?

[B]

Ardiri? A R, D I R I. I.

[A]

Don'T know if I've had that one yet. There have been a few more wineries.

[B]

It's in Cornelius, that is Emily Campagno's father is a vinter and he.

[A]

Well, I'll have to go try it then.

[B]

Yes. I hope you love it because I love his Pinot Noir. I'm totally biased because John Campagno is such a gentleman and he has such a wonderful vineyard where you can go and have pizzas out of the wood burning oven and there's an incredible view of Mount Hood and everything tastes better in that setting.

[A]

I feel like I might have heard of them. Sorry, I'm just looking up where Cornelius is. Oh, yeah, I'll have to go. Yeah. That's a nice spot for Pinotube vineyards.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Tom Kennedy sent you.

[A]

I will.

[B]

And then demand a free bottle because you're a professor.

[A]

They're very nice to me.

[B]

If I were you, I would go everywhere. I'd be like, Alexander Valley. Hear ye, hear ye. I must declare whether or not your grapes are worthy of scientific distinction, whatever that means.

[A]

Oh, no, we have. We have great collaborators across the. Across the coast, so people are very lovely.

[B]

Well, you are lovely, Elizabeth. And I know you're going to save the grapes from the wildfires. I know they're not going to abate anytime soon. There's.

[A]

We're getting closer. We're getting. We're getting closer to solutions for the wine industry.

[B]

Well, I. I love what you do. I love your. Your passion and your brain. And thank you for spending time here. I truly appreciate it.

[A]

Oh, thank you for having me.

[B]

Absolutely. This has been Kennedy Saves the World talking about Pino, talking about wildfires, driving ourselves wild. Just thinking about the next class. Along with Elizabeth Tomasino, I'm Kennedy. Listen. Ad free. With a Fox News podcast, plus subscription on Apple Podcasts and Amazon prime, members can listen to this show and ad free on the Amazon Music app. Oh, go ahead and leave me a review while you're there. I'd love to hear what you have to say. You've been listening to Kennedy Saves the World on the Fox News podcast network.