White Wine Troubles?

[pgentile]

Can anyone answer this for me? (Seems relevant to the convo)

I keep a small length of copper pipe in the wineroom. And if I notice any type of off odor, I’ll pull a sample of about a glass full and stir up for a few minutes with the pipe.
With the thought being that if odor is removed then I know what’s needed. And if no change then i can rule it out. —haven’t had the pipe remedy any odor yet tho.
But would this test even work? Would the odor be removed immediately this way? Seemed logical but realize I don’t actually know the timetable for h2s/copper.

Not with copper pipe but with copper pennies a few years ago, I used them in a petite sirah lug/bucket combo(the first time I used real grapes) had a burnt rubber flaw. And a few times I used pennies to diminish the taste and smell of it. It's not immediate but works pretty quickly.. After two years of aging the burnt rubber was much much diminished and actually a complementary aspect of the wine. I stopped using the pennies after a few times because had no idea how much copper was ending up in the wine. Pennies need to be pre 1982 if I remember correctly.

 

[pgentile]

Can anyone answer this for me? (Seems relevant to the convo)

I keep a small length of copper pipe in the wineroom. And if I notice any type of off odor, I’ll pull a sample of about a glass full and stir up for a few minutes with the pipe.
With the thought being that if odor is removed then I know what’s needed. And if no change then i can rule it out. —haven’t had the pipe remedy any odor yet tho.
But would this test even work? Would the odor be removed immediately this way? Seemed logical but realize I don’t actually know the timetable for h2s/copper.

But the pipe like the pennies, each h2s problem will probably require different length of exposure, how to you know when you have overdone it with copper/

 

[Ajmassa]

Ok so it is something that is detectable right away then. I figured this but never actually researched.
And regarding how “would I know if overdoing the copper”— simply using it as a test. Haven’t had a case bad enough that a simple splash racking couldn’t fix- but step 1 would be reduless I suppose. I have some if needed. Tho a quick stir of the carboy is pretty tempting. —- actually who am I kidding ?
How much copper can really be released in couple minutes?
If it worked on the test then I’d stir until h2s was knocked down or gone,within reason. ...eh maybe not.
Depends on the wine. And my my mood that day. I’ve seen videos of wine splashed thru a copper scrub pad. I assume they lived. It’s not like I’d be soaking it for 26 hrs.

 

[pgentile]

Ok so it is something that is detectable right away then. I figured this but never actually researched.
And regarding how “would I know if overdoing the copper”— simply using it as a test. Haven’t had a case bad enough that a simple splash racking couldn’t fix- but step 1 would be reduless I suppose. I have some if needed. Tho a quick stir of the carboy is pretty tempting. —- actually who am I kidding ?
How much copper can really be released in couple minutes?
If it worked on the test then I’d stir until h2s was knocked down or gone,within reason. ...eh maybe not.
Depends on the wine. And my my mood that day. I’ve seen videos of wine splashed thru a copper scrub pad. I assume they lived. It’s not like I’d be soaking it for 26 hrs.

I think I left pennies in one or two times for 24 hrs at least. So I don't necessarily disagree.

 

[Johny99]

Ok so it is something that is detectable right away then. I figured this but never actually researched.
And regarding how “would I know if overdoing the copper”— simply using it as a test..

It is valid as a test. Most protocols for using copper sulphate have you start by adding a high, too high, amount and by nose verify it helps. Then using controlled amounts, below FDA allowable levels, find the minimum that cures the problem.

I do confess to curing my first bad case with a Sauv Blanc bu racking it over some #12 copper wire. Not recommended as you don’t know how much copper is absorbed. Some obviously or it wouldn’t cure. However, since then I’ve always tried: racking, Reduless then copper sulphate trials, in that order.

 

[sour_grapes]

Pennies need to be pre 1982 if I remember correctly.

People often say that, but it isn't true. It is true that the body of recent pennies is mostly zinc; however, the surface is 99+% copper. The wine only interacts with the surface.

 

[pgentile]

People often say that, but it isn't true. It is true that the body of recent pennies is mostly zinc; however, the surface is 99+% copper. The wine only interacts with the surface.

Enough of a copper coating? The make up of pennies I was aware of, just thought that reason was the zinc would leach.