Gold in wine? What appears to be a marketing ploy to attract wealthy eccentrics is actually a science experiment. Published in the journal natureThe research indicates that gold nanoparticles can act on the sulfur components – improving the aroma of the drink.

The study was conducted by the Australian Wine Research Institute at Flinders University. According to the scientists responsible, the nanoparticles were able to remove more than 45% of the hydrogen sulfide in the wine.

And this technology can be less expensive than you might think, since the gold is not stored in the wine. The nanoparticles are used by a “smart surface” (a term used by the researchers) to “capture” unwanted elements and can be reused after the process.

One of the main benefits of this new technology is that it is easy to implement and reusable. Essentially, the process involves a step, where the smart surface is placed directly into the wine and removed after a period of time, says Agnieszka Mirzynska-Vassilev, chief scientist at the Australian Wine Research Institute, in advertisement from Flinders University.