What diseases can affect wine? 0 16

Only quality-produced and properly stored wine can boast good characteristics. If there is a failure in the technological process, changes occur in the drink caused by microorganisms, and it begins to 'get sick.' The first experimental studies on the causes of wine diseases were conducted by the French microbiologist Louis Pasteur.

One common ailment is mold (mycoderma), caused by film-forming yeasts of the genus Candida. It manifests as a dense, wrinkled grayish-pink mold. These yeasts feed on the components of wine, breaking down alcohol and organic acids, which leads to the drink becoming watery, cloudy, and developing an unpleasant odor.

Vinegar spoilage occurs due to aerobic bacteria Acetobacter or Bluconobacter, which proliferate on the surface of table wines, oxidizing alcohol to acetic acid. The most dangerous ailment, especially for wines with high levels of unfermented sugar and low acidity, is lactic spoilage, caused by bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus, which, like yeasts, produce acetic and lactic acids.

Young white wines can suffer from greasiness when the drink, affected by Leuconostoc bacteria, becomes oily and releases carbon dioxide. Red wines are prone to rancidity, caused by lactic acid bacteria Bacterium Amoraccybis, which break down glycerin in the wine. As a result, the drink becomes cloudy, a dark sediment forms at the bottom of the bottle, and a distinct bitterness appears in the taste.

Sometimes, sick wine is attempted to be saved. For example, pasteurization at a temperature of 60 °C or sulfitation can be used. However, such methods can lead to a loss of the wine's qualities and change its flavor nuances.