Sabia Vanderzeeuw wrote:
> Hi guys,
> Could some of our groups chemist please explain the light thing. In beer
> there is a problem with UV light that courses skunky beer. It is due to hop
> components. These components do not exist in wine! Some colour components in
> fruit wine may exhibits a similar behaviour (phenol base). In grape wine
> there is no report of flavour changes due to natural light exposure that i
> have found. Is there a need to control light exposure in grape wines? Is
> there a need to control light exposure to fruit and other wines? Or is this
> just an other case of mixed up information with the beer makers?
>
> "John Price" > wrote in message
> ...
> I am new to this newsgroup, so I have not seen mentioned anything about
> protection of the must and the wine from light. I always keep my primary
> fermenter in the dark or drape it with a heavy cloth. Before I rack to a
> glass carboy, I first wrap it in aluminum foil. Another technique is to put
> the carboy down into the box in which it came and close the lid around the
> airlock.
>
> Anybody else do this? How do you keep light away?
>
>
>
> John Price
>
>
my understanding is that control of light exposure has mostly to do with
color retention in the red wines (i.e. bleaching like
fabric/paints/inks exposed to the sun). I us incandescent lights to
control temperature in my primary fermenter closet; That light is
filtered through the translucent white plastic fermenter pail. I
perceive no ill effect in my wine.
Many fine pinot noir wines are fermented in open top primary fermenters;
only for secondary fermentation/aging are the wines kept in dim/dark
enclosures.

Am I missing something?

Gene