Box Wine Swolen and Expanding

denisor

I was fortunate to return from France in August with some wine, both bottled and boxed.

I notice now i have 2 boxes of wine in dry dark storage in the house, that appear to have swollen, expanded or filled with vapour. The outer cardboad is ripping from the expanded bag inside. These have never been opened.

Would anyone have knowledge or expierience in whats happened, is the wine drinkable? Many thanks in advance.

P. Breathnach

My first suspicion would be that the boxes have absorbed moisture and started to perish.

Have a good look at your store for signs of moisture penetration. Are the boxes themselves damp, or do the look as if they were at some time damp? If the boxes are starting to perish, the bag might bulge through weak points: that could be the effect of gravity rather than expansion.

[I think you might detect that I am leaning towards saying that I expect the wine to be okay.]

denisor

Many thanks for the reply P. Breathnach, I know where your going, I've checked the cardboard outer box, and is in perfect condition, and dry, its been like this since August, in a dry house.

I broke the seal on the tap last night and released some of the air inside the silver foil bag, the bag deflated. The air than realeased had an oaky scent to it.

Its a 10ltr Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, and so I am hesitant to dispose of it.

What would make the wine produce the gases? Im thinking the wine is somehow still fermenting?

Tazz T

I've seen this happen before with white wine. Sometimes the sugars that are left behind continue to ferment resulting in co2 being given off. Usually the wine has become oxidised and will taste off as a result. Try it. It may taste a bit fizzy. Not an ideal quality for Sauv Blanc.

denisor

Thanks Tazz, I had the same inkling, but was hoping to hear something that would aloow me to salvage the lot!

I'll chill it and try it tonight, If I never log in again, fear the worst!

P. Breathnach

denisor wrote: »

...
Its a 10ltr Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, and so I am hesitant to dispose of it....

I empathise. We regularly buy and store 10ltr cubis of Sauvignon Blanc. We keep them for up to a year, and never had such a mishap.

I suspect that Tazz is right. Second fermentation in the bottle is the méthode traditionelle for the production of good sparkling wines. Fermentation in a plastic bag ain't quite the same because the wine is not kept under pressure - but what the hell: it's Christmas. Call it home-made champagne style wine.

If it does not seem suitable to drink with food, use it to make kir royale.

BaZmO*

Tazz T wrote: »

I've seen this happen before with white wine. Sometimes the sugars that are left behind continue to ferment resulting in co2 being given off. Usually the wine has become oxidised and will taste off as a result. Try it. It may taste a bit fizzy. Not an ideal quality for Sauv Blanc.

How does fermentation make the wine become oxidised?

denisor

[/QUOTE]
How does fermentation make the wine become oxidised?[/Quote]

Perhaps the poster meant carbon dioxidised?

P. Breathnach

denisor wrote: »

Perhaps the poster meant carbon dioxidised?

So you're not dead yet?

Tazz T

It can taste as if it was oxidised ie, not sealed properly. Something has gone wrong with the process of putting it in the box and something else has got in.

I used to buy 5 litre boxes of retsina in Greece and this was a lot more common than you'd expect.

The wine was fizzy and had an off-taste as if it had been exposed to air for too long. Not nice.