TCA, or 2,4,6-trichloroanisole, has long been a scourge of wine consumers, retailers, producers– practically anyone with any sort of relationship to wine. This chemical, which is formed when naturally occurring airborne fungi come into contact with chlorophenol compounds, causes wines to become corked. Anyone who’s begun to drink wine with regularity knows the phenomenon: with great anticipation, you pop open a new bottle of wine, pour a glass, and stick your nose up to it– only to catch that overwhelming scent of a wet basement.

Estimates vary about the prevalence of TCA tainted bottles: the cork industry reports that only around one percent of bottles are contaminated, but a 2005 test of 2800 bottles at Wine Spectator’s tasting facilities showed that seven percent of the bottles were corked. That’s a lot of tainted bottles. Consequently, winemakers have long sought solutions: from screw-top, “Stelvin” closures, to synthetic corks, to glass closures.

Cork remains number one, partly because of the history and cachet, and partly because the other strategies for sealing bottles aren’t without flaws. Cork allows minute quantities of oxygen to enter into the bottle, which, over time, helps a given wine age. Thus, Stelvin closures are potentially problematic for wines that are made to age. Synthetic looks kind of cheap. I’m sure people will knock glass for some reasons too.

So we should all be excited about the latest news from NASA. I’m not talking about the current plans to put a man on Mars, or the release of details about the next generation of spacecraft to replace the Shuttle. Instead, I’m referencing the recent discovery that a process pioneered by NASA aimed at eliminating airborne contaminants can also defeat TCA. Decanter recently reported that “airocide,” originally developed to keep fruit and vegetables safe on space flights, can also rid a winery or warehouse of TCA.

Evidently, the process works pulling air through a box with a filter composed of a titanium dioxide catalyst. The box is then irradiated by UV bulbs, oxidizing any organic contaminants.

Implementation appears to be a little bit away from happening, but if and when it gets going, we can undoubtedly expect to listen to another round of arguments between Stelvin supporters and the champions of cork. Thanks, NASA.