Hi Rob,
What you are stating is quite correct and well known. I do not dispute the
action of "high" frequency "light". My question is what compounds are
involved? Hence the analogy with beer. There, it was found that one family
of compounds caused the problem. The hop people changed the compounds and
now we can "enjoy" beer in a clear bottle. My question really comes down to
"can this be done to wine"? Is there a way to alter the compounds that cause
the negative flavour change in a way to reduce the flavour change. Thus we
have to identify the compounds responsible for the flavour change to begin
with. So what are they???
I hope this is understandable,
Eddie V.

"Rob A" > wrote in message
...
> Hello, I've been ghosting this list for several months now and thought I
> should say Hi. Hello!
>
> Light of short wavelengths ie blue, violet, and UV have the ability to
> dislodge electrons from atoms and molecules. This can cause one molecule
to
> split into two or more or make a new molecule by addition of a atom, ion
or
> the like. The reason for the colours to be in the blue range is that they
> carry enough energy to kick that electron out of its natural state
changing
> the bonding tendencies of a given compond. This is also the reason why UV
> gives us cancer, it changes our DNA (creates G dimers). With out getting
> into to much quantum physics I can safely say that you can shine as much
> red light on wine, as long as it does not change the temperature, and no
> "artifical aging" will occur because of the red light exposure.
>
> As for the bottle colour, you could have a clear bottle that will block
> 100% UVA and UVB light (UVC has to be artificially created since very
> little makes it to earth). So I would say that the best bottle would be
> made out of a UV absorbing (I believe boro-silicate glass is one, Pyrex)
> with colourants that will absorb/reflect the blues and violets ie a blue
> bottle. Now the price for such a bottle would be very high and it is not
> very necessary as long as the wine is kept in a dark place. That said you
> do not want to start spraying the room walls with a UV absorber and
> painting the bottles with a UV Scatterer (titanium dioxide) because it
will
> slow your aging dramaticly, as the saying goes everying in moderation. Now
> all we have to do is decide what moderation means!!
>
> well thats my two cents worth.
>
> Rob
>
> Joe Sallustio wrote:
>
> > Eddie;
> > See 'Principles and Practices of Winemaking' by Boulton et al page
> > 422. In short the shorter wavelengths are the most problematic and
> > have the most potential to cause chemical changes. It 'catalyses
> > consumption of oxygen and acheivement of rest potential'. (I'm not a
> > chemist, just giving you the info you requested.) They suggest opaque,
> > black or dark red would be best to exclude these wavelengths. None of
> > this matters if the wine is stored in a box or stored in the dark and
> > all wine is shipped in an overpack of some sort.
> >
> > Mine is staying in the cellar, along with my beer. I use more green
> > than anything else and we use green Grolsch bottles for most of our
> > beer too. We buy it by the case so I never had a skunky one by the
> > way. I have no idea why they switched from brown to green, old
> > Grolsch bottles were brown. The only time my beer or wine is exposed
> > to sunlight is when we are consuming it, sunlight doesn't get much of
> > a chance to do much... )
> >
> > A lot of good Italian and German wines do come in brown bottles. I
> > use brown too.
> > Regards,
> > Joe
> >
> >
> > Regards,
> > Joe
> >
> > "Sabia Vanderzeeuw" > wrote in message
> > m>...
> >> Hi All,
> >> This is not a discussion between Greg and me; please join in! This is
one
> >> of the great wine mysteries. Myth does not have a place in wine making
> >> anymore. Clear bottles are a marketing thing!
> >> Green bottles reduce UV only to a very limited extent.
> >> The colour of a traditional wine bottle has to do with the base
material
> >> available to the bottle maker not to what is best for the wine! Just
> >> stating that dark coloured bottles, green or brown, are the best for
red
> >> wine is not an answer. What is the effect of the many frequencies of
> >> light on wine?
>