Theory 118/Wine ageing/Rate lens
Ageing Follows Oxygen Ingress
The claim
Wine ageing rate is set by the rate of oxygen ingress through the closure rather than by time in bottle.
01Mechanism
Ageing reactions consume oxygen; the ingress rate sets how fast they proceed.
02Prediction
Ageing should track ingress.
03Refutation
Ageing tracking bottle age would remove the closure.