(BBC) - Fine wines have unique chemical "fingerprints" that could authenticate their origin and quality, scientists have found.

Malbecs from Argentina and California made by the same winemaker and using the same protocol had distinct molecular signatures and flavours.

But the delicate aroma of a rare vintage can quickly be eroded by poor storage after bottling, the team said.

Details were reported at the American Chemical Society meeting.

Despite the cynicism over wine critique - and the rather grandiose adjectives lavished upon certain appellations - it really does matter where your plonk comes from, according to the researchers from the University of California Davis.

They are attempting to fingerprint "terroir" - the unique characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place bestows upon a wine.

Subjective regional character is based on the appearance, aroma, taste and mouthfeel (texture) of the wine - all of which combine to create its flavour.

But demand is growing for a more objective test - to help consumers bypass woolly terminology, protect artisan producers' intellectual property, and help auction houses detect fraud - a growing problem.

Earlier this month, wine fraudster Rudy Kurniawan was sentenced to 10 years in jail for selling over $20m (£11.9m) worth of fake vintages which he mixed in his kitchen - fooling expert collectors.

Suggestions for a foolproof forensic test of provenance have involved particle accelerators and carbon dating via atomic bomb residues.

In search of a more straightforward signature, the UC Davis team decided to focus on volatile compounds - those which would be smelled when drinking wine.

They took wines from the same Malbec grape variety in different regions of Argentina and California - and asked trained experts to evaluate them for 20 sensory characteristics. These included aroma (floral, chocolate, dark fruit) taste (sweet, bitter) and texture (viscosity).