Lightstrike:
a wine defect requiring compensation?

Even if consumers are already very familiar with wine, it can be easy to confuse the taste of light with the legendary cork. The differences are clearly recognizable to the nose. While a wine contaminated with TCA smells more like a musty cellar or rotten cardboard, a wine with a light taste smells like a very strong cheese - or like a musty or even rotten drainpipe. In a weaker form, it only smells like very stale water. Quite apart from the fact that TCA is formed during wine production. However, the light taste only develops later. And as a wine lover, you often have it in your own hands to avoid it.

This is because light taint is caused by UV radiation that is too intense and too long. This UV radiation triggers a chemical reaction that causes a wine to develop sulphur compounds such as dimethyl sulphide, dimethyl disulphide or methzanthiol. This is precisely what leads to this unpleasant odor. Incidentally, the development of a light taste happens faster than you might think. With a still wine, just five days of direct exposure to light is enough to trigger this wine defect. For wines in white glass bottles, it usually happens even faster. And sparkling wines can be permanently damaged by UV light after just one day. It is therefore not without reason that Louis Rüderer's Cristal, for example, is wrapped in an additional UV-protective film, which has almost become something of a trademark.

UV filters protect against lightstrike

This is precisely the reason why UV protection films - only in the transparent version - are also used for the display windows of specialist wine shops. So that the goods on display don't go to waste after a few years and can still be sold in case of doubt. If you have a wine shop and are not sure whether your shop windows are fitted with UV protection film, it is best to check with your landlord to avoid unnecessary light damage.

The difficulty with light taste is that it can also be caused by the UV effect of artificial light. Which then affects the light sources in the store itself. On the one hand, wine should be exposed to as little light as possible. On the other hand, you need cleverly placed light sources to skillfully showcase products. Quite apart from the fact that customers should also be able to read the labels on the wine bottles. It is therefore best to equip your store lighting with UV filters. Or you can install Neolux LEDs directly. These emit virtually no UV light. Such light sources are also the first choice if you have prestigious humidors with glass walls in your store or bar.

Lightstrike can develop quickly in everyday life

Now you can protect wines in your warehouse and also in your store from UV radiation and thus also from light taint without much effort. However, the situation is usually different for your customers. Because hardly anyone knows how damaging light can be to the taste of a wine. It's easy to put a bottle in the blazing sunlight of the kitchen after buying it. Or a wine is stored in the fridge for two years. Because yes, refrigerator light can also be harmful in the long term. After all, it is not equipped with UV filters.

Or perhaps your customers are not quite so strict about the always recommended darkness when storing wines for long periods. In short, there are many situations in everyday life that encourage the development of light taint. Once the wine is ruined and the enjoyment is gone, consumers are usually very frustrated. They see one thing above all: the wine is faulty. What follows is usually a trip to the store where the wine was bought..

Show goodwill

Unlike cork taint, light taint is a wine defect that does not occur during the production of the wine, but only afterwards due to incorrect storage. But that is precisely the crux of the matter. You can't simply assume that your customers have handled the wine incorrectly. At least not if you don't want to lose a customer. Quite apart from the fact that it can never be ruled out one hundred percent that the light taste has not developed in your own warehouse or store.

The only thing left to do is to show goodwill. Take the bottle back, exchange it or, if necessary, refund the amount. Write off the wine. This is a customer-friendly and service-oriented approach. Not only in stores, but also online.

Service as lightstrike prophylaxis

Incidentally, it doesn't help to point a finger at the customer when exchanging the light-flavored wine, telling them how to handle wine bottles in future so that this doesn't happen again. This way, you will lose customers faster than you can say waiter's knife. Nevertheless, the knowledge about this very avoidable wine mistake must be communicated somehow. Our tip: Package your knowledge as a wine consulting service.

When a customer buys a wine, simply ask when it should be enjoyed. If the wine is intended to be stored for a longer period of time, then give appropriate advice. But even if the wine is to be opened immediately or in the next few days, you can point out that it should not be left in direct sunlight - and why. This not only demonstrates your wine expertise, but also ensures that your customers get the maximum enjoyment. It is precisely this kind of caring that people like to take personally - and it resonates emotionally. The chances of you generating loyal regular customers are high.