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What is wine oxidation?
Everyone has already experienced this moment, when our taste buds are literally attacked by a wine that has remained open for too long. But, what happened? It is quite simply the phenomenon of wine oxidation. Let’s try to understand what’s going on in the bottle.
The complex relationship between wine and oxygen
It is important to know that wine and oxygen do not mix well. Or rather that the love story between the two is doomed to turn sour… During the aging of the wine, the supply of oxygen allows the aromas of the wine to develop. The same is true after opening the bottle.
The chemical evolution of wine in contact with oxygen
In contact with oxygen, the alcohol (ethanol) will change its nature to become ethanal, a chemical compound that releases an aroma of apple, and with a little time, of overripe apple. This ethanal, through the help of oxygen and bacteria, will further oxidize to become acetic acid, very easily recognizable by its smell of vinegar. Everything is explained…
How to avoid wine oxidation?
There are several ways to avoid wine oxidation, which can change the color and taste of wine over time. Here are some recommendations:
- Use an air vacuum: After opening a bottle of wine, use an air vacuum device to remove oxygen from the bottle. This can help preserve wine for several days.
- Store opened bottles in the fridge: Even if it’s a red wine, keeping it cold will help slow down oxidation.
Quickly recap: The more oxygen in contact with the wine, the faster the oxidation process. So, try recapping or re-corking your bottle of wine as soon as you’ve finished pouring yourself. - Use smaller bottles: If you know you’re not going to finish a large bottle, consider using smaller bottles to store leftover wine. Less air in the bottle means less oxidation.
- Invest in a wine preservation system: There are systems that allow you to pour wine without having to remove the cork, reducing oxygen exposure. To avoid losing bottles that have been open for a few days, Wikeeps offers a practical and safe wine by the glass service system.
- Drink quickly: Finally, one of the best ways to avoid wine oxidation is to drink it within a few days of opening the bottle.
Remember that a little oxidation can be a good thing for some wines, especially robust red wines, as it can help open up flavors. However, excessive oxidation can lead to a deterioration in the quality of the wine.
The Wikeeps glass service system
In order to avoid any contact between the wine and the air, the Wikeeps glass service system injects argon, a natural and neutral gas heavier than air which will preserve the aromas of the wine, as well as a little CO2 so as not to dry out the wine and balance the level of dissolved CO2 naturally present in the constitution of the wine. This allows you to preserve and enjoy a glass of wine from the same bottle for 20 days.
Our wine preservation system
Those most concerned about wine storage can add to this feature our wine preservation system, which keeps your bottles at the ideal temperature (see our article on wine storage temperature).
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