A taste of light in champagne

What is the "taste of light"?

It’s an organoleptic defect—in other words, a flaw you can detect on the nose and on the palate. It primarily affects sparkling wines like champagne, but also white and rosé wines. Red wines are better protected thanks to their natural tannins.

When a wine is exposed to light—whether natural or artificial—a chemical reaction is triggered. Riboflavin (vitamin B2), which occurs naturally in wine, reacts to specific wavelengths of light, particularly UVA (375 nm) and visible blue light (446 nm). This reaction breaks down a sulfur-containing amino acid, methionine, which then produces methanethiol: the molecule responsible for unpleasant aromas.

This phenomenon was discovered in 1981 at the University of Reims (of course) by researchers Charpentier and Maujean, while they were studying the effects of light on champagne.

So why the name? The term“light taste” simply refers to the taste caused by exposure to light. Not very glamorous and a bit misleading, but at least it’s clear.

What aromas should you look for?

It’s fairly easy to identify once you know what to look for. “Goût de lumière” gives the wine the following aromas:

• Cooked cauliflower or boiled cabbage
• Wet wool
• Rubber
• Reduced, sulfurous notes

Added to this is a decrease in fruity aromatic intensity and, sometimes, discoloration of the wine. The champagne loses its liveliness; its floral and fruity aromas fade, giving way to these unpleasant notes.

And once this occurs, it’s permanent. There’s no way to correct an affected wine. It’s irreversible.

How long does it take?

Much faster than you might think. The speed of the reaction depends on several factors: the color of the bottle, the intensity of the light, the temperature, and the duration of exposure.

The CIVC (Champagne Wine Interprofessional Committee) conducted a very telling experiment. They poured the same champagne into three types of bottles, then exposed them to fluorescent lights:

• Clear bottles: a “light-induced” taste developed within 15 days
• Green bottles: developed after 2 months
• Brown bottles: developed after 3 months

In a glass exposed to direct sunlight, CIVC technicians detected notes of reduction in less than 3 minutes —and that was in the winter during cold weather. Imagine what it would be like in the middle of summer...

Test for the “taste of light” at home

This is an experiment you can easily do yourself.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Open a bottle of champagne
2. Pour a small amount into a glass—just enough; there’s no need to waste a good bottle on this
3. Place the glass in direct sunlight
4. Wait 10 to 15 minutes
5. Smell it

You should notice a distinct change. The fruity and floral aromas will have given way to something more sulfurous, vegetal, and unpleasant. Only taste it if you’re curious—it’s not pleasant.

Always remember to smell your champagne before drinking it. The aroma will tell you a lot about its condition, even before you bring the glass to your lips.

How can you avoid a "light" taste?

The good news: it’s entirely preventable with a few simple precautions.

For storage:

• Store your bottles in a dark place, away from any light sources.
• Keep them in their original box: simple and effective.
• A wine cellar with an opaque door is best; make sure that wine cellars with glass doors filter out UV rays. If the cost is too high, there are mini wine cellars available. But whether it’s a wine cellar, a garage, or a storage closet, what matters is that it’s a place protected from light and with minimal temperature fluctuations.

For clear bottles:

• Wrap the bottle in silver, bronze, or red cellophane.
• Or use black or gold tissue paper. That’s what Roederer does with its Cristal, and Vranken does with its Cuvée Diamant Blanc de Blancs.

In your cellars and storage areas:

• Only turn on the lights when necessary.
• Opt for LED bulbs: some are certified “light-taste-neutral” and emit few harmful wavelengths. This is for the most discerning connoisseurs.
• In 2012, Moët & Chandon was one of the first houses to experiment with LED lighting in cellars, with convincing results: no light-induced off-flavors were detected after thousands of hours of exposure.

An innovation worth noting: The Ruinart launched its eco-friendly “Seconde Peau” case in 2020, using a component inspired by organic sunscreen to filter light while reducing the packaging’s carbon footprint. A double benefit.

Key Takeaways

• Light-induced off-flavor is an irreversible defect caused by a chemical reaction between riboflavin and light.
• It can develop within minutes in sunlight or within weeks under artificial lighting.
• It produces aromas of cauliflower, wet wool, and rubber.
• Clear bottles are the most vulnerable.
• Prevention is simple: darkness, cardboard, and LED lighting.

To learn more about storing your champagne, check out our article on how to properly store champagne and our guide to champagne dosage.

Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health. Please drink responsibly.