Does acidity change with age?

Apr 17, 2005 1 Replies

In HOME WINEMAKING CHEM 101 by Curtis W. Irion, Ph.D., Xlibris Corp.



1st ed. (August 15, 2000) ISBN: 0738828122, Dr. Irion claims that a wine's acidity--I think he was referring to total titratable acidity--does *not* change as it ages (he includes a simple graph with a flat horizontal line parallel to the time axis to illustrate the point).

I find this assertion counter-intuitive, particularly since I think that acids and alcohols readily combine to form esters.



Any published work on the issue?


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Leo, sorry none of our chemically minded posters have info on this. Intuitively, it seems to me that some acidic white wines (I'm thinking Savennieres here) become softer with age. But I've also heard that TA doesn't change. I wonder if a tartaric/malic conversion or something of the like is possible? Inquiring minds want to know.

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