Temperature is very important in oxygen management as it affects two factors:
- Oxygen dissolution
- Oxygen reaction speed
The higher the temperature, the more difficult it is for oxygen to dissolve in the wine. On the other hand, its reaction speed with the other components in the wine is greater. The oxygen saturation of wine is 8 mg/L at 20°C, which is usually taken as the benchmark value. To calculate the maximum quantity of oxygen in a wine, the following equation applies (between 5 and 30°C):
Saturation in mg/L = 11.35 - 0.17 x T in °C.
At 8°C, saturation is 10 mg/L.
At 14°C, which is a more typical temperature for a wine during aging, saturation is 9 mg/L.
It is therefore important to monitor temperature during transfers. For example, moving wines that are too cold without taking protective measures can dissolve a significant amount of oxygen in the wine. Reactions with other components in the wine will then take place as soon as the temperature is a little higher.