Lightstrike

Lightstrike refers to a fault in white wines and champagnes exposed to light, where excited riboflavin photo-oxidises methionine and releases volatile sulfur compounds. It evokes cooked cabbage, wet cloth and damp wool, alongside a loss of fruit. Champagne, rich in amino acids and riboflavin, remains the most vulnerable; a clear bottle can deteriorate within two weeks, against several months for wine held in tinted green or brown glass.