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Acetaldehyde

Viniculture
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A volatile compound that can lend wine bruised-apple, nutty, or sherry-like aromas.

Detailed Definition
Acetaldehyde forms when ethanol meets oxygen, appearing in deliberately oxidative wines and, at excessive levels, as a fault. In poetry, it can serve as the scent of a cellar left open to weather: green apple darkening in a bowl, a bright vintage turning amber at the edges. The term joins chemistry to the language of aging, suggesting how time changes not only flavor but memory, color, and the emotional temperature of a glass.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Acetaldehyde sharpens the cellar air,” a poet might write, using the term for a compound that can lend wine bruised-apple or nutty aromas; “The acetaldehyde note rose like a green apple cut open”; The image teaches that excessive acetaldehyde may smell oxidized or sherry-like; “In the poem, acetaldehyde is the bright sting left after sweetness fades.”
Additional Notes
Acetaldehyde forms naturally during oxidation and may increase when wine is exposed to air. At low levels it can add complexity, but excessive amounts suggest oxidation and produce bruised-apple, paintlike, or solventy notes. It is also associated with flor-aged wines and fortified styles.
Also Known As
Ethanal Acetic Aldehyde
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