Premature oxidation: results from Beaune

One of the major concerns among fine wine lovers today has become the problem known as 'premature oxidation' in white wines, particularly white burgundies (see, for example, the recent forum thread White burgundy despair). Here we share, in English, the results of a thorough study carried out by Bruno Michéa and his team at the AOC (Académie Oenologique de Conseils) laboratory in Beaune and published in June 2007.

According to the study, neither the product used for washing corks nor the treatment of the cork’s surface makes the slightest difference to the level of oxidation in bottled white wines...