Oxidation / Oxidized

Oxidation / oxidized meaning in wine

Oxidation in wine is the chemical change that occurs when wine reacts with oxygen. Controlled oxygen exposure can help some wines develop complexity, but uncontrolled oxidation usually makes wine taste tired, flat, or stale. White wines may turn deeper gold or brown and show bruised apple, nutty, or sherry-like notes; red wines may lose bright fruit and shift toward brick, brown, dried-fruit, or savory flavors. Oxidation is different from reduction, which develops under oxygen-poor conditions. Winemakers manage oxidation with careful handling, appropriate sulfur dioxide, temperature control, full vessels, and protective gas when needed.