WAC 2022 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 WAC 9 WAC 2022 9 3 - WAC - Oral 9 Oxygen transfer through cork stoppers

Oxygen transfer through cork stoppers

Abstract

During wine conservation in a bottle, the control of oxygen transfer from the outside environment to the wine inside the bottle is a key parameter that determines the wine quality. Many other factors can also influence the evolution of wine during postbottling aging, such as the composition of the wine itself, the temperature, the relative humidity, the storage position, as well as the amount of oxygen initially present in the bottle. However, the oxygen transfer is the most critical factor. For this reason, the choice of the packaging and in particular of the stopper is crucial in providing the best conditions for wine aging. 

With the various types cork-based stopper currently used, an additional outer layer of a surface treatment product is always applied in the final step of the manufacturing process. The primary function of these surface treatments is to facilitate the introduction and above all the extraction of the stopper from the bottleneck, as they reduce the adhesion between the glass and the cork acting as a slippery agent. However, only a few studies have reported the effect of the coating agents on the transfer of oxygen through the cork-bottleneck system. 

A comprehensive study was carried out to investigate the critical role played by the interface between the stopper and the bottleneck on oxygen penetration into the bottle, as well as the effect of the surface treatment of the stopper. This was performed starting from the diffusion through the stopper alone and ending with a more complex system comprising the stopper covered by a surface treatment agent and compressed in the glass bottleneck. 

First, the compression of micro-agglomerated cork, at close to 40%, had a limited effect on the oxygen transfer, with a decrease of the oxygen diffusion by a factor of 1.5. 

Second, once a cork was inserted into a glass bottleneck without any surface treatment, up to 99% of the total oxygen transfer took place at the stopper-bottleneck interface. Third, when the cork surface was coated with a paraffin-silicone mixture, there was almost no oxygen transfer at the interface. A coating with a thickness of less than 1 µm thus provided an efficient barrier for the stopper-bottleneck interface system to act against gas transfer at the interface. In addition to its initial role of ensuring easier uncorking, the surface coating therefore confers an additional and unexpected barrier efficiency to the wine sealing system.

DOI:

Publication date: June 14, 2022

Issue: WAC 2022

Type: Article

Authors

Julie Chanut, Jean-Pierre Bellat, Régis D. Gougeon, Thomas Karbowiak

Presenting author

Julie Chanut – Agrosup Dijon, UMR PAM

Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne, UMR 6303 CNRS | Agrosup Dijon, UMR PAM, Institut Universitaire de la Vigne et du Vin | Agrosup Dijon, UMR PAM

Contact the author

Keywords

gas transfer, oxygen, agglomerated cork, interface, surface treatment

Tags

IVES Conference Series | WAC 2022

Citation

Related articles…

Short-term relationships between climate and grapevine trunk diseases in southern French vineyards

[lwp_divi_breadcrumbs home_text="IVES" use_before_icon="on" before_icon="||divi||400" module_id="publication-ariane" _builder_version="4.19.4" _module_preset="default" module_text_align="center" module_font_size="16px" text_orientation="center"...

Anthocyanin profile is differentially affected by high temperature, elevated CO2 and water deficit in Tempranillo (Vitis vinifera L.) clones

Anthocyanin potential of grape berries is an important quality factor in wine production. Anthocyanin concentration and profile differ among varieties but it also depends on the environmental conditions, which are expected to be greatly modified by climate change in the future. These modifications may significantly modify the biochemical composition of berries at harvest, and thus wine typicity. Among the diverse approaches proposed to reduce the potential negative effects that climate change may have on grape quality, genetic diversity among clones can represent a source of potential candidates to select better adapted plant material for future climatic conditions. The effects of individual and combined factors associated to climate change (increase of temperature, rise of air CO2 concentration and water deficit) on the anthocyanin profile of different clones of Tempranillo that differ in the length of their reproductive cycle were studied. The aim was to highlight those clones more adapted to maintain specific Tempranillo typicity in the future. Fruit-bearing cuttings were grown in controlled conditions under two temperatures (ambient temperature versus ambient temperature + 4ºC), two CO2 levels (400 ppm versus 700 ppm) and two water regimes (well-watered versus water deficit), both in combination or independently, in order to simulate future climate change scenarios. Elevated temperature increased anthocyanin acylation, whereas elevated CO2 and water deficit favoured the accumulation of malvidin derivatives, as well as the acylation and tri-hydroxylation level of anthocyanins. Although the changes in anthocyanin profile observed followed a common pattern among clones, such impact of environmental conditions was especially noticeable in one of the most widely distributed Tempranillo clones, the accession RJ43.

Towards adaptation to climate change in Rioja: Quality evaluation of wines obtained from Grenache x Tempranillo selections

The wine sector is of great relevance and tradition in Mediterranean countries, however, it may be most susceptible to climate change. In recent years, wine production is facing changes worldwide, both at environmental as well as commercial levels, due to global warming and the shift in consumers’ preferences. Wine growers and wine makers are in search of solutions that allow to face these new challenges. One of the most promising initiatives in the long term is the introduction of new plant materials, specifically intraspecific hybridizations between premium varieties that may improve traditional germplasm in its adaptation to climate change. These inter-varietal crosses have the potential to generate quality wines, whilst maintaining the regional typicity, and constitute an attractive alternative for the consumer due to their sensory attributes. In this study, we have evaluated wines from 29 intraspecific Garnacha x Tempranillo hybrids in two different locations, with the aim to assess their oenological potential and sensory attributes. Thirteen of the selections were white and 16 were red. Microvinifications were conducted with two or three replications depending on grape availability. Conventional oenological parameters were determined for all wines. The sensory evaluation and hedonic scores were given by five experts. Red selections obtained higher quality scores than white ones. Among the white selections with higher quality scores, GT-41 Varea and GT-159 Varea outstand, due to their high total acidity and high malic acid content. Regarding red selections, GT-57 Varea and GT-57 UR were perceived as higher in quality, highlighted for their moderate alcoholic and high anthocyanin content. Our results indicate that intraspecific hybridization may be a powerful tool for adapting traditional cultivars to climate change in Rioja.

Use of a new, miniaturized, low-cost spectral sensor to estimate and map the vineyard water status from a mobile 

Optimizing the use of water and improving irrigation strategies has become increasingly important in most winegrowing countries due to the consequences of climate change, which are leading to more frequent droughts, heat waves, or alteration of precipitation patterns. Optimized irrigation scheduling can only be based on a reliable knowledge of the vineyard water status.

In this context, this work aims at the development of a novel methodology, using a contactless, miniaturized, low-cost NIR spectral tool to monitor (on-the-go) the vineyard water status variability. On-the-go spectral measurements were acquired in the vineyard using a NIR micro spectrometer, operating in the 900–1900 nm spectral range, from a ground vehicle moving at 3 km/h. Spectral measurements were collected on the northeast side of the canopy across four different dates (July 8th, 14th, 21st and August 12th) during 2021 season in a commercial vineyard (3 ha). Grapevines of Vitis vinifera L. Graciano planted on a VSP trellis were monitored at solar noon using stem water potential (Ψs) as reference indicators of plant water status. In total, 108 measurements of Ψs were taken (27 vines per date).

Calibration and prediction models were performed using Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression. The best prediction models for grapevine water status yielded a determination coefficient of cross-validation (r2cv) of 0.67 and a root mean square error of cross-validation (RMSEcv) of 0.131 MPa. This predictive model was employed to map the spatial variability of the vineyard water status and provided useful, practical information towards the implementation of appropriate irrigation strategies. The outcomes presented in this work show the great potential of this low-cost methodology to assess the vineyard stem water potential and its spatial variability in a commercial vineyard.

Soil quality in Beaujolais vineyard. Importance of pedology and cultural practices

A pedological study was carried out from 2009 to 2017 in Beaujolais vineyard, to improve physical and chemical knowledge of soils. It was completed in 2016 and 2017 by the current study, dealing with microbial aspects, in order to build a reference frame for improved advice in soil management. Microbial biomass was measured on representative plots of the six most common soil types identified in Beaujolais and, for each soil type, on plots with different levels of the main impacting parameters: total organic carbon, pH, cation exchange capacity, extractable copper. A total of 59 soil samples were collected. Confirming the results of various trials carried out in Beaujolais over the past 20 years, the results of the present study showed that the soils were still alive, but exhibited a large variability of biological parameters, which appeared dependant on both pedological and anthropic factors. Therefore, a good interpretation of biological parameters and advice for vine growers must rely on a pedologically-based referential with differentiated main driving factors. For example, the control of pH is of primary importance in granitic soils and in no way organic matter addition can improve soil quality if pH is too low. Conversely, in calcareous soils, biological parameters are more directly affected by direct or indirect (cover crops for example) inputs of organic matter. The use of biological parameters, such as microbial biomass, is of great potential value to improve advice on agro-viticultural practices (soil management, fertilization, liming, etc.), basis of a sustainable wine production on fragile soils.