What happens to white wines as they age?

• A. They become lighter and clearer
• B. They become more acidic
• C. They become darker and take on brown tones
• D. They develop more purple hues

Answer: (C)

White wines age through slow oxidation and chemical changes among phenolic compounds, which cause the color to shift from pale straw toward gold, then amber or brown. This browning comes from pigment changes and the formation of browning compounds like acetaldehyde polymers, so the wine looks darker as it ages. Acidity in white wines typically softens with age rather than increases, so becoming more acidic is not the typical trend. Whites also don’t develop purple hues; purple tones are not characteristic of aging white wine. So the aging process most commonly makes white wine darker and brown-toned, not lighter, more acidic, or purpler.