Wine Importing and Marketing Services

This Pro Trick Evaluates Reductive Wine with a Single Penny

Penny in bottle of red wine. / Photo by: Tom Arena

Ever pour a glass of wine, smell it and think, “That stinks!”? If so, here’s what might be happening—and a way to fix it.

Under a variety of circumstances, wines can become what is referred to as “reductive.” This is a term for a broad range of aromas created when a wine has not been exposed to enough oxygen during production. One of the most common reductive aromas is reminiscent of rotten eggs.