Micro-oxygenation

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Micro-oxygenation is a winemaking technology in which the development of color or taste of a wine can be influenced by finely dosed addition of pure oxygen to the must or young wine . The term "micro- oxidation ", which is often used, is imprecise, since the oxidation of the wine is only the direct result of oxygenation (i.e. the active addition of oxygen).

The goals of oxygen supply are:

  • the stabilization of the color and deepening of the color (with red wine )
  • the tannin refinement (red wine)
  • the prevention of Böckser flavors (red and white wine ).

The continuous addition takes place at the earliest after the mash has been pressed, but at the latest after the malolactic fermentation .

In micro-oxygenation, only minimal amounts of oxygen are added, so that the oxidation process is limited to the production of very small amounts of acetaldehyde . This amount no longer creates flavor, but promotes the chaining of long polyphenols (see also the article Phenols in wine ). Since the group of polyphenols contains both the colorants and the tannins of wine, the concatenation of long polyphenol molecules has the effect of stabilizing the color and refining the tannins. The wines become more fruity and velvety in terms of sensory properties and are more similar to wines that have been aged 2 to 5 years without losing their fruitiness (→ aromas in the wine ). Essentially, maturation processes that otherwise take place in small wooden barrels such as barriques are shortened in time and made even more manageable.

Micro-oxygenation differs significantly from the deliberate oxidative development of certain types of wine, such as sherry . With such types of wine, oxidation often takes place over several years over the surface of the wine. With the oxygen in the air, significant amounts of alcohol are oxidized into acetaldehyde . This acetaldehyde reacts further and contributes to the taste of the wine through the typical sherry tone. In addition, the red coloring matter of the wine, the anthocyanins, oxidize . The result: the wine loses its red color and turns brown.

Patrick Ducourneau made the first promising attempts with micro-oxygenation in 1991. His goals were to reduce the very high tannin content of the Tannat grape variety . He presented the result of his research in 1995 at the 5th Symposium international d'oenologie .

An influential proponent of this technique is the oenologist Michel Rolland .

literature

  • Konrad Bernath, Thomas Flüeler, Tilo Hühn (University of Wädenswil): Micro-oxygenation , in Swiss Z. Fruit and Viticulture N ° 25/02
  • Carlo Manfred Bermes, Konrad Bernath, Thomas Flüeler, Tilo Hühn, Wolfgang Pfeifer : Measures to increase the mercapto-hexanol precursors , In: Der Deutsche Weinbau 2011 (13), pp. 12-16
  • Jancis Robinson : The Oxford Wine Lexicon, 3rd revised edition . 1st edition. Gräfe and Unzer Verlag, Munich, 2007, ISBN 978-3-8338-0691-9 .