Question for FOODIE or Experienced Winemaker.

[Thomas]

If the wine smells like breaking wind, it is build up of hydrogen sulfide, the first step toward nasty mercaptan. Aeration (racking) clears that up.

Mercaptan does not smell yeasty either, it smells like onions or cooked cabbage or a blend of the two with some rotten eggs thrown in. If your wine has gotten to that level you have a big problem and you'll need to get some written information on what to do--it is a long process.

Having once had a mercaptan problem, I can say that after cleaning up the wine in the prescribed manner, it never really lived up to its potential.

Hydrogen sulfide and mercaptan are often the result of a lack in proper must nutrition for the yeast do its work.

Oh, keeping the wine on its lees after it has developed hydrogen sulfide is dangerous. If I were you, I'd rack it right away.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 11-28-2005).]