What is oxygens role in the maturation process?
The right amount of oxygen is critical for the wine maturation process. Too much oxygen is damaging – excess oxygen will lead to premature ageing and even complete spoilage. But for many types of wine, too little is also a problem. Starved of oxygen, the wine will take too long, if ever, to be ready for consumption. This is frustrating for consumers who generally are not prepared to wait many years for wines to mature in bottle. And it is frustrating for wine companies which can’t afford the cost of holding many years of stock while their wines reach their full potential.
