rubbery smell

[jojo]

We cracked a bottle of Montepulciano tonight. It's been bottled now for over 2 months. It has developed a slight rubbery smell. I can't place what it could be. Color, clarity, body - all seems normal. Wierd. Does this kind of thing go away eventually?

[Hippie]

rubbery...

Sounds like sulphur dioxide to me. Should dissipate with age. At least you know the wine is protected sufficiently.

[P cuthbert]

JoJo;

If you let the wine sit and breathe for an hour before drinking, this aroma should go away. Decanting will also help.

Pat

[P cuthbert]

JoJo;

How has this worked for you? If it is not successful, then let us know so that we can look at other approaches to the problem.

Pat

[jojo]

JoJo;

How has this worked for you? If it is not successful, then let us know so that we can look at other approaches to the problem.

Pat

Pat -

Well, it sort of did and sort of didn't. I'm not sure.

I pulled out a bottle and opened it this morning. The smell was hardly there. I could still smell it, but it was faint. So I poured the entire bottle into a sanitized half gallon jug and shook it like crazy. Lots of bubbles. I did it a few times then let it sit thinking if it was sulphur it would dissipate. The smell went away. The bright berry smell is in there. It's like it's hanging right behind something. I was thinking that in time it will come out more.

So I was thinking of either leaving it alone to do it's thing over time, or emptying out all the bottles into a carboy and beating it up good, letting it settle out as long as it takes. I'm inclined to leave it alone in the cold dark basement.

[Hippie]

The wine is gassy and the sulphite is rising up to your nose with the CO2 causing what you percieve as a sulphur smell.

If it is stabilized well, pour it all into a carboy that will hold it without too much topping up. Top up with similar wine. Bulk age. Do the shake test before bottling this time.

[jojo]

Thanks Glenvall. I'm going to deal with this tonight!

[jojo]

I'm pooped. I beat the daylights out of it. Not much fizz really.

She appears stable.

I broke a good corkscrew.

All that beating made me thirsty, so I had a small sample.

750 mls is small.

It's gonna be good in time. Think positive. Bulk aging through Spring outta do it. It will give me time to figure out this SO2 test thang.

[Hippie]

There ya go buddy. Half full always!