###### Abstract  
Where vineyard exposure to bushfire smoke cannot be avoided or prevented, grape and wine producers need strategies to transform smoke-affected juice and wine into saleable product. This study evaluated the potential for spinning cone column (SCC) distillation to be used for the remediation of'smoke taint'. Compositional analysis of'stripped wine' and condensate collected during SCC treatment of two smoke-tainted red wines indicated limited, if any, removal of volatile phenols, while their non-volatile glycoconjugates were concentrated due to water and ethanol removal. Together with the removal of desirable volatile aroma compounds, this enhanced the perception of smoke-related sensory attributes; i.e., smoke taint intensified. Stripped wines also became increasingly sour and salty as ethanol (and water) were progressively removed. A preliminary juice remediation trial yielded more promising results. While clarification, heating, evaporation, deionization and fermentation processes applied to smoke-tainted white juice \(\leq\)3 ug/L changes in volatile phenol concentrations, SCC distillation of smoke-tainted red juice increased the volatile phenol content of condensate (in some cases by 3- to 4-fold). Deionization of the resulting condensate removed 75 ug/L of volatile phenols, but fermentation of reconstituted juice increased volatile phenol concentrations again, presumably due to yeast metabolism of glycoconjugate precursors. Research findings suggest SCC distillation alone cannot remediate smoke taint, but used in combination with adsorbents, SCC may offer a novel remediation strategy, especially for tainted juice. distillation; Rate-All-That-Apply; volatile phenols; volatile phenol glycoconjugates +
Footnote †: journal: _molecules_  
or used in combination with nanofiltration [30], remains the most effective strategy for amelioration of smoke taint. Spinning cone column (SCC) distillation is a low temperature separation process that isolates volatile compounds from liquids, using steam, under vacuum [31; 32; 33; 34]. The column consists of a vertical stainless steel vessel, comprising alternating stationary cones attached to the inner wall of the column, and spinning cones attached to a central rotating shaft (Figure 1). When liquid is introduced to the top of the column, it forms a thin film as it flows down the first stationary cone, and into the base of the first spinning cone, due to gravity. Centrifugal force then causes the liquid to flow across the surface of the spinning cone, i.e., upwards and outwards, again as a thin film, before it becomes airborne and falls onto the next stationary cone. This cycle repeats, resulting in the downward flow of liquid. At the same time, steam is introduced at the base of the column, creating a counter-current (upward) flow. Volatile compounds are'stripped' into the vapor phase as the steam passes over the surface of the thin films and mixes with airborne liquid droplets. The addition of fins to the underside of each spinning cone (Figure 1) increases turbulence in both the liquid and vapor phases, enhancing mass transfer rates [31; 34]. The volatile-enriched vapor that flows out the top of the column is passed through a condensing system and recovered in a concentrated liquid form (i.e., as 'condensate'), while the'stripped' liquid that remains is collected from the bottom of the column. Figure 1: Schematic diagram of: (**a**) a spinning cone column distillation system; (**b**) a set of rotating and stationary cones; and (**c**) the downward flow of liquid and upward flow of vapor within the spinning cone column during operation. The mass transfer performance of SCC systems has been studied using various modelling techniques [34; 35; 36; 37; 38], but it is the efficient removal of volatiles at low operating temperatures (typically \(<\)30-40 \({}^{\circ}\)C [39])--which mitigates thermal degradation of heat labile compounds--that enables food and beverage applications of SCC distillation.