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Oxidation

Oxygen and microbesNot reversible

Bruised apple, sherry, nuts. Whites turn deep gold, reds turn brown at the rim.

What causes it

Oxygen exposure, usually through headspace, a leaking bung or too little free SO2 for the wine's pH.

Detection threshold

Detectable long before it is obvious; colour usually moves first.

There is no fix

Nothing reverses it. Blending a lightly oxidised lot into a sound one is the only real option, and only if the fault is slight.

How to prevent it

Top up, exclude air, and dose sulphite to a molecular target rather than a free-SO2 habit.