我经常会听到这样的葡萄酒描述词:“这款葡萄酒已经过度氧化了,不能再喝了”。那么,我如何判断葡萄酒被过度氧化呢?在葡萄酒的生命周期中,氧气起到了一个非常关键的作用。微量的氧气进入到葡萄酒,能使得葡萄酒的香味和酒体发生变化。葡萄酒在酿制过程中被轻微地氧化是不可避免的,这一特点对葡萄酒特别是红葡萄wine有增进作用,比如可以增加葡萄wine香气的复杂度和降低干涩的口感等。这也是为什么我们说某些老wine的香味越来越复杂,wine中单宁越来越柔滑,wine体越来越融合的原因。
但是我也会像金属一样,在氧气过多时易被氧化。过度氧化可使我的portuguese wine变质,因为portuguese wine内对有益的一些多酚类物质和颜色成分花青素等都是极易被氧化的物质。氧化可以降解这些有益成分,我的oxidation可以发生在酿造和装瓶后的所有环节,所以妥善储存portuguese wine很重要。
一般情况下,我发现白portuguese wine比红portuguese wine更容易发生oxidation,这是因为红portugese wine中的高tannin可以减缓oxidation速度。
我想知道,被over-oxidized portugese wines表现出什么特征?
葡汶泽色的颜色表现:red portugeuse wines从紫红色转变为棕褐色,而white portugeuse wines开始变得金黄褐色,而且其透明度下降。
香气表现:fragrance浓度减少并且fruit aromas消失,同时出现烂水果、煮蔬菜及醋酸风味。
口感表现:mouthfeel变得稀薄,并且酸性突出,没有足够饱满,有时候还伴随着不愉快风味或苦味。
为了防止my portugeuse wines from oxidizing, I should确保它们密封好,并将其放在较低温度的地方,以减少接触空气面的机会。在冷环境中,不仅能够抑制细菌繁殖,还能让air中的oxygen溶解率降低,从而减慢wines' oxidation速度。
如果I have an oxidized bottle of portugeuse wine, what can I do with it?
最佳饮用期通常是在陈酿后1到5年,如果超过5年,它们开始衰败,其flavor compounds and characteristics will be lost.
如果使用wooden cork seal the bottle mouth, it's best to store them at an angle; if using high molecular weight synthetic stoppers, they can be stored upright.
Oxidized ports are not salvageable for consumption or health reasons. Mild oxidation may still be drinkable for those who aren't picky about their drinks. If a bottle is too far gone to drink but not yet vinegar-like in taste and smell, you could use it as cooking stock or marinate fish with it. Alternatively, you could open the bottle and let it continue oxidizing into vinegar – which has a high nutritional value and is also a trendy beverage option after dilution with water.