Aug 14 2009
Bottle Shock… Not Just a Movie Title My Friends
Recently my husband and I watched the 2008 hit film “Bottle Shock”. Without a doubt we both enjoyed the movie tremendously and would recommend it to any wine lover, or non wine lover, hands down.
However, the title of the movie got me to wondering, especially because there was only one reference in the movie to the words “bottle shock”, after which this phenom was not explained.
So, like any curious cat, I googled it.
Turns out that bottle shock most commonly occurs right after bottling, when the wine may come into contact with the air during it’s transport, causing the wine to be temporarily muted or flat in flavor. This is a rare instance these days because so little wine comes in contact with that much oxygen during the bottling process, thanks to the advance of technology.
The line about “bottle shock” in the movie was in actuality more of a reference to a more common occurrence known in wine circles as “travel shock” or “bottle sickness”. This occurs when a bottle has been shaken or disturbed in transport, and the perfect balance of the wine is disrupted, causing temporary changes in the aroma and taste of the wine.
Notice I said temporary. Neither Bottle Shock or Travel Shock (sickness) is a permanent effect on your wine. When stored properly the wine will typically return to it’s proper equilibrium within a few weeks. Which is good to know if you currently receive wine club shipments through some sort of shipping carrier. Let those bottles sit for about a month before you open them… just in case.
Until next time…. Happy Tasting!
