D1.C15. Finishing and Packaging Flashcards
1
Q
What should the wimemakers do, to produce a clear and stable wine?
A
Wines should be clarified and stabilised before being bottled and packaged
2
Q
Name the practices used for the clarification of the wine.
A
- Sedimentation
- Centrifugation
- Fining
- Filtration
3
Q
Number of rackings required depend on which factors?
A
- Shape of the container: The larger the storage vessel, the greater the number of rackings required to avoid a thick layer of sediment
- Volume of the wine
- Available labour
4
Q
Why do some of the wines are clarified only by sedimentation?
A
Some winemakers believe that clarification by sedimentation avoids the potential loss of texture and flavour that may occur if the wine is fined or filtered
5
Q
Why sedimentation is usually only suitable for premium or super-premium priced wines?
A
As sedimentation takes time, this has a cost
6
Q
In which condition, sedimentation happens as a part of the process?
A
Barrel aging
7
Q
In many cases, why will the winemaker accelerate the process of clarification?
A
In high volume production the speed of processing wine is financially important
8
Q
Centrifugation can be a substitute for…
A
Depth filtration
9
Q
When is centrifugation advantageous?
A
For the wines with a lot of matter in suspension
10
Q
Why is centrifugation practiced only in high-volume wineries?
A
Because of the cost of the machine
11
Q
What are the origins of fining materials?
A
- Protein
- Mineral
12
Q
What is the aim of fining?
A
- To remove a small proportion of unstable colloids (microscopic particles too small to be removed by filtering) from the wine
- Clarify the wine
- Stabilize the wine against the formation of hazer later in the bottle
13
Q
What do winemakers do, before using fining agents? Why?
A
- They conduct laboratory trials before using fining agents to ensure that the minimum effective amount is used
- Many fining agents can remove desirable compounds from wine or make the wine unstable when too much is added (over-fining) and therefore it is important to add
only the minimum effective amount
14
Q
What are the solutions that fining agents can offer other than clarifying the wine?
A
- Removal of harsh tannins in red wine
- Correction of browning in white wines
15
Q
Name the 3 categories of common fining agents.
A
- Those that remove unstable proteins
- Those that remove phenolics that contribute undesirable colour and bitterness
- Those that remove colour and off-odours.
16
Q
Why is removal of unstable proteins not needed for red wines?
A
- They bind with tannins, precipitate naturally and are removed when the wine is racked
17
Q
What happens if the proteins in the white and rose wines are not fined?
A
They can agglomerate into a visible haze if warmed up
18
Q
Which fining agent is used to remove unstable proteins?
A
Bentonite
19
Q
What is bentonite?
A
It is a form of clay
20
Q
What is the advantage of bentonite?
A
It has a minimal effect on the flavour and texture
21
Q
What are the disadvantages of bentonite?
A
- It leads to some colour loss in red wines
- Produces large amounts of sediment, and so wine is lost when it is racked off
22
Q
Name the fining agents that remove phenolics that contribute undesirable colour and bitterness
A
- Egg white
- Gelatin
- Caseine
- Isinglass
- Vegetable protein products
- PVPP ( Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone)
23
Q
What re the pros and cons of egg white?
A
- Pro: It is gentle to the wine
- Con: It is an allergen, not suitable for vegan wines
24
Q
What are the effects of gelatine on wine?
A
- Aids clarification
- Removes bitterness and astringency in red wines
- Removes browning in white wines
25
Why must gelatine be added in the smallest effective amount?
As it is easy to over-fine with gelatine, stripping flavour and character, and creating the risk of a protein haze forming later
26
What are the actions of casein on wine?
- Removes browning from white wines
- Clarifies wine
27
What are the cons of casein?
- It is an allergen
- Not suitable for vegans
28
What are the actions of isinglass on wine?
Very effectively clarifies the white wines, giving them a bright appearance
29
Why must isinglass be added in the smallest effective amount?
To avoid potential for the formation of a protein haze later and the creation of a fishy smell
30
Is isinglass suitable for vegetarians and vegans?
No, because it is derived from fish bladders
31
Vegetable protein products are produced from which vegetables?
Potato or legumes
32
What is PVPP (Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone)?
It is an insoluble plastic in powder form
33
What are the actions of PVPP on wine?
- It removes browning and astringency from oxidised white wine
- It is rarely used on red wines, but can reduce astringency and brighten the colour
34
Which of the fining agents that remove phenolics that contribute undesirable colour and bitterness are not suitable for vegans?
- Egg white
- Gelatine
- Casein
- Isinglass
35
Which of the fining agents that remove phenolics that contribute undesirable colour and bitterness are not suitable for vegetarians?
- Isinglass
- Gelatine
36
Which fining agents can be used both for must and wine
- Bentonite
- Gelatine
- Caseine
37
Name one fining agent that removes colour and off-odours?
Charcoal
38
Why care has to be taken while using charcoal?
Because it can over-fine easily removing desirable aromas and flavours. One option is to treat only one batch of the affected wine and then blend it with the rest of the wine to reduce this effect
39
What are the advantages of depth filtration?
- It can cope with fluid with many particles in it
- It does not block easily
40
Why is depth filtration not an absolute filter?
If too much pressure is applied or if the filter is used for too long, some particles will make their way through the filter
41
What are the types of depth filtration?
- Earth filters (using diatomaceous earth)
- Sheet filters (plate and frame or pad filters)
42
What is diatomaceous earth?
It is pure silica
43
Rotary drum vacuum filters using diatomaceous earth can filter..
Very thick and cloudy wine
44
What is the advantage of diatomaceous earth?
It comes in a range of particle sizes and thus can remove large or very small (e.g. yeast) particles
45
What are the disadvantages of diatomaceous earth?
- It is an oxidative process
- Initial investment in machinery is high, though the per litre cost after that is small
- It must be disposed of responsibly, so increasing the cost
46
How can oxidation be prevented rotary vacuum filters?
Enclosed DE filters flushed with an inert gas
47
Why is filtration quicker in sheet filters as the number of the sheets in the filter increase?
Because any portion of wine only passes through one sheet
48
Can sheet filters be used as an absolute filter?
Yes, very fine graded sheets can be used to remove any remaining yeasts at bottling
49
How is the economic burden of sheet filters?
- They require investment initially but the cost of filter sheets is low
- Trained personnel must operate them to work properly
50
Why are the membrane filters slower than depth filters?
As the pores are smaller, often less than 1 micron
51
Why should the wines be pre-filtered first before filtering by membrane filters?
Otherwise the membrane filters are easily blocked
52
Why are membrane filters used usually as a final precaution before bottling?
To ensure that the wine is completely clear and microbiologically stable
53
Can membrane filtration be always regarded as a "sterile filtration?
If the filter size is over than 1 micron, then it can not be regarded as a sterile filter
54
How is the economic burden of membrane filters?
The initial investment is small, but the cartridges are expensive and an ongoing cost
55
What is the advantage of cross-flow filters when compared with membrane filters?
They can filter wine with a high load of particles or lees very quickly
56
How is the economic burden of cross-flow filters?
- Machines are expensive but no replacement sheets, cartridges or earth to buy or dispose
- They are more suitable for large and/or well- funded wineries
57
What does stabilization mean?
It refers to several winemaking interventions, if not carried out, could lead to undesired effects in the finished wine
58
How is protein stability achieved?
By fining with bentonite
59
What are tartrates?
Potassium bitartrate and, less frequently, calcium tartrate, are harmless deposits of crystals that can form in the finished wine
60
Why all high-volume winemaking and many small scale operations will seek to prevent tartrate deposits?
Because many customers will regard the tartrates as a fault
61
Name the options to achieve tartrate stability
- Cold stabilisation
- Contact Process
- Electrodialysis
- Ion exchange
- Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)
- Metatartaric acid
62
What are the traditional and contemporary methods to achieve tartrate stability by cold?
- Traditional: To extent by the wine being kept in a cold cellar for months through the winter
- Contemporary: wine can be held at –4°C for around eight days so that the crystals form before bottling
63
What is the prerequisite before a cold stabilisation practice? Why?
Removal of colloids by fining as they could prevent the crystals from forming
64
What are the drawbacks for cold stabilisation?
- Cold stabilisation requires the equipment and the cost of energy to refrigerate the wine
- It only removes the more common potassium bitartrate, not calcium tartrate
65
How is contact process performed to achieve tartrate stability?
- Potassium bitartrate is added to the wine and speeds up the start of the crystallisation process
- Wine is usually cooled to around 0°C (32°F) and after one or two hours the resulting crystals are filtered out
66
What are the advantages of contact process?
- Quicker
- Continuous
- More reliable
- Cheaper
67
What is the working principle of electrodialysis to achieve tartrate stability?
It uses a charged membrane to remove selected ions
68
What are the advantages of electrodialysis
- Although the initial investment is high, total cost is lower than cold stabilisation
- It uses less energy
- It is faster
- It removes both potassium and calcium ions and to a smaller extent, tartrate ions
- It is allowed in EU and other territories
69
What is the working principle of ion exchange?
It does not remove tartrate but it replaces potassium and calcium ions with hydrogen or sodium ions, which will not drop out of solution
70
Why is ion exchange not allowed for tartrate stabilisation in some territories?
Because, it replaces the potassium with sodium, which is not conducive to health
71
What is the working principle of CMC for tartrate stabilisation?
It prevents tartrates from developing to a visible size
72
What is the advantage of CMC for tartrate stabilisation?
- It is much cheaper than chilling
- It is widely used on inexpensive white and rosé wines
73
What are the disadvantages of CMC for tartrate stabilisation?
- Not suitable for red wines as it reacts with tannins and causes haze
- It keeps the wine stable for a few years
74
What is the working principle of metatartaric acid for tartrate stabilisation?
It prevents the growth of potassium bitartrate and calcium tartrate crystals, reducing the need for cold stabilisation
75
What is the advantage of metatartaric acid for tartrate stabilisation?
It is a quick and easy process
76
What are the disadvantages of metatartaric acid for tartrate stabilisation?
- The compound is unstable, and its positive effect is lost over time, especially when wine is stored at high temperatures (25– 30°C)
- Best used for wines designed for early consumption.
77
Why is metatartaric acid is used more for red wines?
As for white and rosé wines CMC is more effective and long-lasting
78
Which types of wines are potentially liable to start to re-ferment in the bottle?
Wines with residual sugar
79
How can the yeasts be eliminated in the wine?
- Sterile filtration
- Adding sorbic acid and SO2
80
What is the drawback of adding sorbic acid to inhibit yeasts?
Some people can smell the effects of sorbic acid at very low levels
81
Which types of wines are potentially liable to malolactic conversion in the bottle?
Wines with lactic acid bacteria where malolactic conversion has not been carried out or completed
82
How can the lactic acid bacteria be eliminated in the wine?
- Ensuring that the malolactic conversion has been completed
- Filtration
83
How can Brettanomyces problem can be treated?
- Filtering
- DMDC (dimethyldicarbonate) = Velocrin
84
Which factors determine the amount of SO2 at the point of filling?
- Winemaking approach
- Wine style (white, red, sweet)
- pH
- Intended period of drinking
85
In general, what are the amounts of free SO2 in white, red and sweet wines?
- White: 25-45 mg/L
- Red: 30-55 mg/L
- Sweet: 30-60 mg/L
86
Why is the amount of free SO2 lower in white wines when compared to red wines?
Due to the lower pH of the white wines
87
What can be done if the dissolved oxygen in the wine is found to be too high?
Sparging: Flushing the wine with an inert gas
88
Addition of CO2 to create a tiny bit of spritz is a method used for which types of wines?
Inexpensive, youthful white and rose wines
89
Name the wine faults?
- Cloudiness and hazes
- Tartrates
- Re-fermentation in the bottle
- Cork taint
- Oxidation
- Volatile acidity
- Reduction
- Light strike
- Brettanomyces
90
What are the reasons of cloudiness and hazes in wines?
- Growth of yeast or bacteria
- Poor filtering
- Ineffective fining
- Overfining
91
How can cloudiness and hazes in wine be prevented?
- Good winery hygiene
- Pre-bottling chemical analysis
- Sterile filtering
- Fining correctly and conduct analysis after fining
92
What are the signs of re-fermentation in the bottle?
Visible bubbles or spritz accompanied with cloudiness
93
What are the reasons of re-fermentation in the bottle?
Failure to stabilise and clarify/filter the wine adequately.
94
Name two wine styles which have purposely include a low level of spritz?
- Vinho Verde
- Muscadet sur lie
95
What are the possible reasons of oxidation of the wine?
- Exposure to oxygen during winemaking process
- Exposure to oxygen in the bottle or other container
- Faulty bottling
- Poor quality corks or plastic closures
- Keeping the wine too long
96
What are the signs of oxidation in wine?
- Premature browning
- Loss of primary fruit aromas
- Vinergary smell
97
What are the reasons for volatile acidity?
- Activity of acetic acid bacteria
- Inadequate SO2
- Excess exposure to oxygen
98
How can volatile acidity be prevented?
- Meticulous sorting
- Hygiene in the winery
- Keeping the vessels topped up
- Careful racking to avoid oxygen
- Maintain adequate SO2 levels
99
The smells in reduction is caused by..
Volatile reductive sulphur compounds
100
What are the reasons of reduction?
- Yeast under stress due to low nitrogen levels
- The near complete exclusion of oxygen during ageing in closed vessels, especially when lees ageing
- When the wine is closed with an impermeable type of screw cap
101
How can reduction be avoided?
- Ensuring that the yeast has sufficient nutrients and oxygen
- Ensuring the must is in adequate temperature
- Lowering SO2, especially if the closure allows very little oxygen ingress
102
Which lights are risk for light strike?
- Direct sunlight
- Fluorescent light
103
What kind of bottles have more risk for light strike?
Bottles with clear glasses
104
What kinds of aromas does Brettanomyces produce?
A range of off-aromas including animal, spicy or farmyard
105
Why is it very hard to eradicate Brettanomyces?
As wood can host the organism and be very difficult to clean effectively
106
What are the key ways to avoid Brettanomyces?
- Excellent hygiene
- Maintaining effective SO2 levels
- Keeping the pH levels low
- Keeping the period between the end of alcoholic fermentation and malolactic conversion as short as possible so that SO2 can be added as soon as possible
107
What are the major criteria while choosing packaging and closures?
- Place in the market (early sale/long life)
- Markets in which it will be sold
108
Besides maintaining high standards of hygiene, what is the most important consideration during bottling/filling the containers?
Oxygen management
109
The amount of oxygen in the final wine determines which parameters?
- Shelf life
- Expected development of the wine
110
Total package oxygen is the combination of:
- Oxygen dissolved in wine
- Oxygen in the head space
- Oxygen in cork/other closure
- OTR (oxygen transmission rate) of the cork/closure
111
How can total package oxygen be reduced?
- Flushing the head space with an inert gas
- Choosing closures with low OTR rates
112
Although in most markets, glass bottles are overwhelmingly preferred, what are the two main exceptions?
- Producer markets (e.g. France) where inexpensive plastic (PVC) containers are used
- Dominance of bag-in-box in some markets, such as the Swedish market (nearly 60 per cent)
113
What are the advantages of glass as packaging?
- It is inert, conveys no taint
- Can be delivered to wineries in a near sterile condition
- Inexpensive to manufacture and comes in a range of colours
- 100 per cent recyclable
- It is impermeable to oxygen, best packaging option for the aging of wine
114
What are the disadvantages of glass as packaging?
- High carbon footprint initially due to heat needed to manufacture it
- Heavy to transport, again contributing to its carbon footprint
- Fragile
- Rigid, once a bottle of wine has been partly drunk, air fills the headspace and the wine is subject to rapid oxidation
- Wine packed in clear bottles can be spoiled by light strike
115
What are the advantages of plastic (PET) as packaging?
- Light (1/8 th of glass)
- Tough
- Inexpensive
- Recyclable
- Can be used for a range of sizes
- Well suited to wines with a limited shelf life and for quick consumption and in informal settings or planes
116
What are the disadvantages of plastic (PET) as packaging?
- It must be lined with a barrier to reduce the ingress of oxygen
- Special filling equipment is required as the PET bottles are inflated at filling
117
Which materials can be used for the bags in bag-in-box packagings?
- Usually a thin aluminum foil (barrier to oxygen)
- Plastic (resistant to cracking and gives some protection from oxygen)
118
What are the advantages of bag-in-box as packaging?
- Flexible pour size
- Good protection from oxygen after wine has been poured
- Availability of a range of sizes from 1.5–20 litres
- Easy to store
+ Less fragile
+ Can easily be stacked
- Low environmental impact
+ Light to transport
+ Recyclable
119
What are the important things to be considered if the wine maker choose bag-in-box as packaging?
- The wine must have a slightly higher SO2 level than in glass to counter oxidation
- The wine should have low dissolved oxygen
- The wine should have less CO2 (to avoid the bag bulging)
- There should be no head space
- A high quality tap should be used to avoid oxygen ingress
120
What is the average shelf life of bag-in-box wines?
6-9 months (best 1 year)
121
Name two markets where bag-in-box is very successful?
- Australia (the pioneer)
- Sweden
122
Brick is often referred as..
Tetrapak
123
Brick is made up of:
Paper card with plastic layers and an aluminium foil layer that excludes oxygen and light
124
What is the advantage of the brick in terms of oxygen exposure?
It can be entirely filled with wine, thereby excluding oxygen
125
Brick is popular in which types of markets?
Price sensitive markets like Germany
126
What is the disadvantage of bricks?
The filling equipment is a big investment, and some producers outsource the filling of bricks
127
What is the advantage of pouches?
They are available in larger (e.g. 1.5 litre) and single serve sizes
128
What are the advantages of cans as packaging?
- Light weight
- Robust
- Easy to open
- Impermeable to oxygen
- Recyclable
- May be attractive in RTD market
129
How is the interaction of the acids in the wine with aluminum be prevented in cans?
The aluminium has to be lined with a plastic to avoid being attacked by the acidity of the wine
130
What is the economic burden to use cans as packaging?
The filling equipment is a big investment, and producers will generally outsource the filling of cans
131
What are the properties of ideal closures?
- Protecting wine from oxygen
- Being inert
- Easy to remove and re-insert
- Cheap, recyclable and free from faults
132
What is the most popular closure type?
Cork (around 60%)
133
What are the advantages of natural corks as a closure?
- Light and flexible
- Inert
- Comes from a natural and renewable resource
- Has a positive image in the eyes of the consumers
- Opening a bottle with a corkscrew is seen as part of the enjoyment of wine
134
What do the size and the quality of the natural corks determine?
Ageing capacity in the bottle. Better quality, longer corks are used for higher-priced wines that may be aged in bottle
135
What are the issues about natural corks?
- Cork taint (3-5 %)
- Variable rates of oxygen ingress
136
What are the efforts by the cork industry to reduce or eliminate the incidence of cork taint?
- Cleaning the corks with steam extraction ( championed by Amorim)
- Creating closures from recomposed cork particles that have been cleaned and reconstituted with a plastic (Diam)
- More rigorous quality control during cork production including high-cost high-tech solutions (e.g. gas chromatography) to check for the presence of TCA)
- Introducing an inexpensive polymer barrier between the cork and the wine
137
What are the types of technical corks?
- Agglomerated corks: Cork granules are glued together. Cheapest one, only suitable for inexpensive wines
- One-plus-one corks: the largest, central, section is inexpensive agglomerate, but it is finished with a disc of natural cork at both ends
- Diam: Closures from recomposed cork particles that have been cleaned and reconstituted with a plastic (Diam)
138
What are the synthetic closures made of?
Made of food- grade plastic with a silicone coating
139
What are the subtypes of synthetic closures?
- Moulded: Rigid, difficult to re-insert, limited protection from oxygen ingress
- Extruded: More elastic, being made by an external firm layer of plastic covering a plastic foam. They now come in a range of oxygen-ingress rates (Nomacork claims that its top line is suitable for extended ageing in bottle)
140
What are the drawbacks of synthetic closures?
- Limited protection from oxygen ingress
- Flavour scalping: The loss of some flavour intensity because plastic absorbs some flavour molecules
141
What is the advantage of natural corks, technical corks and synthetic closures over screw caps and glass stoppers?
They all are in-bottle closures, so they can be implemented on traditional bottling lines set up for natural cork and traditional bottle sizes and shapes. There is therefore no additional cost or logistical issues (having the right type of bottle available) in switching between them
142
The seal with the wine can be made from which materials for screw caps?
- Tin (impermeable to oxygen)
- Saran
143
What is the main issue for the screw caps with tin linings?
They permit almost no oxygen ingress so wines can become reductive after bottling
144
How can be the reduction problem in wines with screw caps be avoided?
Winemakers adapt the final wine to have slightly lower SO2 levels
145
What are the advantages of screw caps?
- Can be opened without a special tool
- Eliminates the possibility of cork taint
146
What are the disadvantages of screw caps?
- It requires different closure equipment from in-bottle closures
- It can be seen as synonymous with inexpensive wines in certain markets (USA, China)
147
In which countries, screw caps have a high level of acceptance?
- Australia
- New Zealand
- UK
148
Glass stoppers are usually referred to by the brand name of:
Vinolok
149
What is the actual seal for glass stoppers?
Plastic ring
150
What is the advantage of using glass stoppers?
Wine can be stored for similar lengths
of time as under closures such as natural cork
151
What are the disadvantages of using glass stoppers?
- Special bottles must be used to ensure a perfect fit
- They are expensive, so suitable for premium and super-premium wines
152
Why are the glass bottles the standard packaging used for wines that are intended for further ageing?
Glass bottles are impermeable to air; however, it is possible for a small amount of air to ingress through the closure
153
Which factors have significant impact on the development of wine in the bottle?
- Amount of oxygen trapped in the headspace
- Amount of oxygen dissolved in the wine
- OTR of the closure
154
What are the positive effects of small amounts of oxygen on the development of the wine?
- Primary aromas become tertiary aromas
- Tannins soften
- Aroma compounds from oak become better integrated
- The colour moves towards brown and becomes paler in red wines and darker in white wines
155
What happens if the wine has been exposed to too little oxygen before bottling?
This can lead to the formation of volatile, reductive sulfur compounds
156
What are the ideal conditions for storing bottled wines?
- Cool dark place
- Constant temperature around 10–15°C
- Constant humidity
- If sealed with cork, the bottles should be stored lying on their side
157
How are new wineries designed, to facilitate cleaning?
- Use of easy-to-clean stainless steel tanks
- Hard non-porous floor surfaces that slope to aid drainage
- Equipment being located so that it can be reached to be cleaned
158
What are the hard-to-reach areas in the winery, where particular attention must be paid for cleaning?
- Underneath equipment
- Dead-ends of pipes
159
What are the 3 procedures for hygiene?
- Cleaning: Removal of surface dirt
- Sanitation: Reduction of unwanted organisms to acceptably low levels with water and a detergent or other sanitising agent and/or steam
- Sterilisation: Elimination of unwanted organisms, like filler heads of bottling lines with high strength alcohol or with steam
160
What is quality control?
It is the set of practices by which the company ensures a consistently good quality product
161
What is quality assurance?
- Quality assurance’ is a broader concept that includes
quality control
- It is the complete way a business organises itself to deliver a good product consistently and to protect itself from legal challenge
- This includes planning, management systems and the monitoring and recording of key standards from vineyard to bottling of wine
162
What is HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)?
It is a process in which the company identifies all the possible hazards that could affect final wine quality; in effect, everything that could go wrong and for each hazard, the HACCP document will state how serious it is, how it can be prevented and how it can be corrected
163
What is the economic burden of HACCP?
The creation of the HACCP plan, implementing it and keeping the records are a considerable time investment and therefore a cost
164
What is the main difference between HACCP and ISO?
HACCP is carried out by the company producing the wine with no checking or auditing by a third party
165
What criteria are reviewed by the external auditors to check the standards, set by ISO?
- Company’s own quality management system
- Management structure
- Physical and human resources
- How it measures, analyses and improves its performance
166
What is the economic burden of ISO?
It is a rigorous process for which a professional fee must be paid
167
What are the higher levels of audit that many large retailer may require?
- Environmental policy
- Ethical trading
168
When is traceability needed?
- If the wine company is to respond to and investigate complaints about its wine
- Improve its practice so that similar problems do not occur in the future
169
What does the lot number, given to each consignment of wine provide?
It enables a company to trace back where the grapes came from, what additives have been used and what processes the wine went through
170
What do the large firms and those concerned about traceability do?
They will keep samples of every batch so that they can investigate what has gone wrong and compare returned bottles with their library of samples
171
What are the common problems that come from the consumers?
- Cork taint
- Tartrates
- Faulty or missing labels
172
What are the vessels used for the transportation of wine historically?
- Animal skins
- Terracota
- Barrels
173
Where and when, bottling in the winery became an important means of quality control?
Bordeaux, in 1920s
174
What is the importance of bottling in the winery in terms of quality control?
By this means, the producer could guarantee that the final wine was as the producer intended, rather than being at the mercy of possible blending or adulteration if shipped in barrel to the final market
175
What are the contemporary options for the transpostation of the wine?
- Glass bottles (all premium and super-premium wines)
- Larger containers (for inexpensive to mid-priced wines there has been a rapid increase in transportation in bulk and bottling in or near the final market)
176
What are the transportation options for the transport of bulk wines in containers?
- Road and rail: Especially from south to north Europe
- Container ships: carry wine from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and Argentina to final markets in the northern hemisphere
177
What are the percentages of the exported wines transported in bottles and in bulk?
- Bottles: 60%
- Bulk: 40%
However, by value, bottled wine continues to dominate
178
What are the types of containers for shipping the wine in bulk?
- Flexitank (more common)
- ISO tank
179
What is flexitank?
It is single-use, recyclable polyethylene bag that fits into a standard container. It is coated with a barrier to prevent taint from an external source and to reduce oxygen ingress
180
What is ISO tank?
It is a stainless steel vessel built to the ISO standard that can be reused many times and may have additional insulation
181
What is "reefer"?
Insulated tank with temperature control
182
What is the advantage of transporting wine in bottles?
The entire product – the wine, the bottling, the labelling and any external packaging – is controlled by the producer
183
What are the disadvantages of transporting wine in bottles?
- Higher financial cost (smaller amount of wine)
- Higher environmental cost (weight of the glass)
- Potential damage to the wine due to high and fluctuating temperatures in transit
- Spoilage of labels and packaging in transport
- The shorter shelf life of inexpensive wine because it is bottled earlier
184
What are the advantages of transporting wine in bulk?
- Environmentally friendly less carbon footprint): One container can hold the equivalent of 24,000-26,000 bottles in liquid rather than
9,000-10,000 filled bottles
- Cheaper
- There is less fluctuation of temperature due to greater thermal inertia: Reduces the risk of loss of fruit and oxidation of wine in transit
- Strict quality control: Key parameters of a wine (residual sugar, SO2, etc.) can be measured at the point of filling the container and again on emptying it
- Wine can be adjusted (e.g. level of SO2)
- Increased shelf life: As this is calculated from the time of bottling
- No need to change the labels according to the requirements of laws in the country it is exported
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What are the disadvantages of transporting wine in bulk?
- Loss of the direct relationship with the producer and the transfer of business and employment opportunities from producer countries to the countries close to the final market
- Shipping in bulk is only commercially viable for larger brands, for example those that will sell three or more containers per year
