Color Stability: duration, not depth

The standard

A documented color stability names the period over which it holds and the conditions under which it was tested. A color in the moment says nothing about its duration.

Criteria

  • It refers to a period, not a point in time
  • It names the conditions of its testing
  • It rests on the binding of the pigments, not on their quantity
  • It remains distinct from color intensity

Distinction

Color stability ≠ color intensity: one describes the duration, the other the strength of the color. Color stability ≠ shelf life: a documented color stability concerns the color, not the whole wine.