Term for a system or a chemical reaction (artificial word from reduction and oxidation) in which one reaction partner acts reductively (e.g. oxygen) and the second oxidatively (e.g. hydrogen). This means that the reducing agent (hydrogen) gives up electrons to the oxidising agent (oxygen). In this example, water is formed. Reduction is therefore always associated with oxidation. Both processes together are partial reactions of a so-called redox reaction. This includes many combustion and metabolic processes, such as fermentation and photosynthesis. The wine defect mannitol tartar is caused by the redox reaction of fructose (fruit sugar). Both oxidative and reductive components are present in wine. On this topic, see also ageing and bottle ageing.
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Thomas Götz
Weinberater, Weinblogger und Journalist; Schwendi