Acetic acid bacteria: cause, not a style

The standard

The microbiological stability of a wine is measured by whether these bacteria are denied the oxygen and the free access they need to grow.

Criteria

  • Oxygen ingress stays controlled, for without air there is no oxidation
  • Free sulfur effectively inhibits their growth
  • Completely filled vessels leave no headspace
  • Volatile acidity is measured, not merely smelled

Distinction

Acetic acid bacteria ≠ lactic acid bacteria: the former spoil, the latter carry out malolactic conversion. Volatile acidity ≠ character: faint traces belong to wine, their emergence shows that the microbiological stability is lost.