Bottle Shock: temporary, not a fault

The standard

An allowed rest period separates the moment of bottling from any judgement of the wine. Only after it does the sensory impression reflect the wine rather than the aftermath of bottling.

Criteria

• The muting coincides in time with bottling or with heavy movement
• The state is reversible and subsides without intervention
• The wine's composition stays unchanged; only perception is altered
• A judgement presupposes the end of the rest period

Distinction

Bottle shock ≠ oxidation: oxidation changes the wine permanently, whereas bottle shock passes. Bottle shock ≠ reduction: reduction lacks oxygen, while bottle shock has briefly taken up too much. Without an allowed rest period, a temporary state is mistaken for a lasting fault.