Matchstick smell in young bottled wine

[Snafflebit]

So, I have some 2022 Cabernet wines that I bottled in Oct 2023 after finishing my '23 winemaking. I did a splash racking of the wine before bottling. I did two rackings of the wine, each time adding 0.17 tsp. / 5 gal. Kmeta, and at the bottling I added another 0.17 tsp. / 5 gal. Kmeta (I'm pretty sure of the amount, of course I forgot to write it down) This wine has pH 3.61. I calculate that this amounts to about 70 ppm of total SO2 in the wine. We tried a bottle tonight (May 2024) and I am detecting sulfur matchstick odor. I wonder if other people here have had similar experience and if the odor is likely to dissipate over time. I didn't think that I was overdoing the Kmeta.

 

[ibglowin]

Are you sure your not smelling H2S?

 

[Snafflebit]

I do not think so. That is a smell I have encountered during ferment and I do not recall smelling H2S prior to bottling.

 

[Hazelemere]

leave it alone it will probably sort itself out.

 

[winemaker81]

Burnt matchstick is excess K-meta. Normally it dissipates over time, but that's in bulk. In the bottle, decant it and let the wine breathe for an hour or two.

 

[BarrelMonkey]

Matchstick is a characteristic indicator of reductive nature in wine; it's one of those faults that can be regarded as a positive in some circumstances (eg some styles of chardonnay). Jamie Goode has more to say about it here. I also recommend his book 'Flawless' for a discussion of various flaws in wine, how to identify them and how to prevent/treat them.

I would expect it to dissipate as the wine ages and takes on a bit more O2.

 

[Snafflebit]

Interesting that matchstick odor can come from the fermentation. I will need to see how this changes every few months. I made 7 cases of this wine, so I am a little upset and concerned that it is going to annoy guests and not make a good gift. This was the first time I used BM-45

 

[Hazelemere]

Interesting that matchstick odor can come from the fermentation. I will need to see how this changes every few months. I made 7 cases of this wine, so I am a little upset and concerned that it is going to annoy guests and not make a good gift. This was the first time I used BM-45

did you use nutrient during fermentation (if so which one). Did the wine go malolactic? If it did was sulphite used before malolactic fermentation?

 

[Snafflebit]

reviewing my notes: I used Kmeta before cold soak, so there is more sulfite than I originally mentioned. I used GoFerm Protect with the BM-45, then "supernutrient" which is an off brand Fermaid K, plus I used a little DAP. Malo was post-ferment. Then 2 rackings with the Kmeta after each rack. My notes say that the MLF was still happening after the second rack even with the Kmeta. The wine went through a cold winter and woke up in the summertime.

So, I dunno. Maybe I am especially sensitive to the smell. It definitely is not rotten egg odor.

 

[Hazelemere]

reviewing my notes: I used Kmeta before cold soak, so there is more sulfite than I originally mentioned. I used GoFerm Protect with the BM-45, then "supernutrient" which is an off brand Fermaid K, plus I used a little DAP. Malo was post-ferment. Then 2 rackings with the Kmeta after each rack. My notes say that the MLF was still happening after the second rack even with the Kmeta. The wine went through a cold winter and woke up in the summertime.

So, I dunno. Maybe I am especially sensitive to the smell. It definitely is not rotten egg odor.

sulphite + malolactic bacteria may equal hydrogen sulphide. If you decant with aeration before you drink it, the smell should lessen or disappear i.e. hydrogen sulphide + oxygen = sulphur or sulphate, sulphite + oxygen = sulphate. In future consider leaving sulphite out of the primary ferment. You may also have hydrogen sulphur via sulphur residue from powdery mildew control on grape skins at or slightly after versaison especially with your "cold soak".. i.e. sulphur + malolactic bacteria may equal hydrogen sulphide. Finally if one leaves out nutrient, some yeasts, e.g. RC212 make hydrogen sulphide from grape protein amino acids containing sulphur e.g. methionine, cystine or cysteine.

 

[Snafflebit]

So, I opened another bottle of the "Clos du Match" and there is no sulfur smell. I doubt that in the little time which has passed that Kmeta would dissipate. Probably that bottle had something odd. I rinse with a sulfur solution before filling. Maybe a clump of Kmeta stuck to the inside. I don't know, but I am relieved! The wine is pretty good, a little fruity and high in alcohol, but that's California.

 

[RylanJacobs]

So, I opened another bottle of the "Clos du Match" and there is no sulfur smell. I doubt that in the little time which has passed that Kmeta would dissipate. Probably that bottle had something odd. I rinse with a sulfur solution before filling. Maybe a clump of Kmeta stuck to the inside. I don't know, but I am relieved! The wine is pretty good, a little fruity and high in alcohol, but that's California.

Do you have a way to measure SO2? If there was a clump of kmeta in that bottle, then its possible the other bottles could be low.

 

[Snafflebit]

a clump of Kmeta in the bulk would have long ago dissolved before bottling. It is quite a fine powder that I use for the wine itself. I often use the old Kmeta to use as a rinsing agent during bottle wash prefill

Since opening several bottles now, for family and friends, I am happy to report that the "matchstick" smell was an anomaly. I plan to enter this wine into the Santa Cruz county fair amateur wine competition. I cannot wait to hear what the judges have to say. I think it has some grippy tannins, maybe too young. We will see. Wish me luck.