terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 WINE RACKING IN THE WINERY AND THE USE OF INERT GASES: CONTROL AND OPTIMIZATION OF THE PROCESS

WINE RACKING IN THE WINERY AND THE USE OF INERT GASES: CONTROL AND OPTIMIZATION OF THE PROCESS

Abstract

Atmospheric oxygen (O₂) generates oxidation in wines that affect their physicochemical and sensory evolution. The O₂ uptake in the different winemaking processes is generally considered to be negative for the sensory characteristics of white and rosé wines. Wine racking is a critical point of O₂ uptake, as the large surface area of the wine exposed during this operation and the inability to maintain an effective inert gas blanket over it.

The aim was to study the uptake of O₂ during the racking of a model wine as a reference and to compare with purging the destination tank with different inert gases. In addition, inert gases were also used to protect the wine in the racking tank by blanketing the wine. Finally, a full-scale inerting study was carried out in a commercial winery during the racking of a white wine to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of different inert gases. Dissolved oxygen (DO) and Head Space Oxygen (HSO) was monitored in different points during the wine racking.

Purging an empty tank with different inert gases was effective being the CO₂:Ar (20:80) mixture clearly the most effective, requiring less gas volume to displace O₂. The opposite result was found with N₂ because it worked in dilution mode. Although from an economic viewpoint, the most recommendable gas was CO₂.

The level of protection of the racked wine and the headspace in the empty destination tank differed depending on the gas used and the thickness (% of the tank volume) of the blanket formed with each gas. Based on the results obtained, purging with 25% of the empty tank volume of each inert gas is recommended to protect racked wine in a good cost-benefit way. To keep the headspace of the racking tank inert, blanketing with 50% of tank volume of Ar, CO₂ or the mixture of both were sufficient. Applying different volumes of gas had little effect on the DO of the wine at the tank outlet.

The study of a white wine racking in a commercial winery demonstrated the greater efficacy of Ar versus N₂ in the purging of the destination tank, while for the hoses inerting, the differences between both gases were minor. In addition, Ar was able to maintain the wine at lower DO levels as well as to provide a higher level of HSO protection in the destination tank during the racking process.

The results obtained allow us to recommend the appropriate type and volume of inert gas to minimize O₂ uptake during wine racking.

DOI:

Publication date: February 9, 2024

Issue: OENO Macrowine 2023

Type: Poster

Authors

Rubén Del Barrio-Galan¹, Maria Del Alamo-Sanza¹, Maria Asensio-Cuadrado², Elena Perez-Cardo¹, Marioli Ale-Jandra Carrasco-Quiroz¹, Ignacio Nevares².

1. Dpt. Química Analítica, UVaMOX-Group, Universidad de Valladolid, Avda. Madrid, 50, 34004 Palencia, Spain.
2. Dpt. Ingeniería Agrícola y Forestal, UVaMOX-Group, Universidad de Valladolid, Avda. Madrid, 50, 34004 Palencia, Spain

Contact the author*

Keywords

Inert gases, racking wine, purging, blanketing, oxygen

Tags

IVES Conference Series | oeno macrowine 2023 | oeno-macrowine

Citation

Related articles…

THE EFFECT OF COPPER ON THE PRODUCTION OF VARIETAL THIOLS DURING THE ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION OF COLOMBARD AND GROS MANSENG GRAPE JUICES

Nowadays, the rapid growth of vineyards with organic practices and the use of copper as the only fun-gicide against downy mildew raises again the question of the effect of copper on varietal thiols in wine, especially 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (3SH) and its acetate (3SHA). A few decades ago, several works indicated that the use of copper in the vineyard had a negative effect on the content of varietal thiols in Sauvignon blanc wines [1, 2]. However, these studies only considered the concentration of the reduced form (RSH) of varietal thiols, without quantifying the oxidised ones. For this purpose, we proposed to monitor both reduced and oxidised forms of varietal thiols in wine under copper stress during alcoholic fermentation to have a more complete picture of the biological and chemical mechanisms.

Read More

EFFECTS OF HYDROXYTYROSOL ON THE CHEMICAL PROFILE AND SENSORY ATTRIBUTES OF A RED TUSCAN WINE

The chemical profile and sensory attributes were studied in Borrigiano IGT Toscana wine (Italy), a blend of Sangiovese 85% and Cabernet Sauvignon 15% grapes harvested in September 2020, where 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethanol (hydroxytyrosol, HT, [1]) was added to a 750-ml wine bottle in 3 different amounts (30, 60, 120 mg) and compared with the control (no HT addition). The study aimed to evaluate whether Polyphenol-HT1®, a high purity HT (>99%) produced by Nova Mentis using biotechnology, could be used as a supplement to sulfites and how it would impact the sensory and chemical profile of this wine [2]. Each sample was prepared in triplicate.

Read More

EVALUATION OF INDIGENOUS SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE ISOLATES FOR THEIR POTENTIAL USE AS FERMENTATION STARTERS IN ASSYRTIKO WINE

Assyrtiko is a rare ancient grape variety that constitutes one of the most popular in Greece. The objective of the current research was to evaluate indigenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolates as fermentation starters and also test the possible strain impact on volatile profile of Assyrtiko wine. 163 S. cerevisiae isolates, which were previously selected from spontaneous alcoholic fermentation, were identified at strain level by interdelta-PCR genomic fingerprinting. Yeasts strains were examined for their fermentative capacity in laboratory scale fermentation on pasteurized Assyrtiko grape must.

Read More

HOW OXYGEN CONSUMPTION INFLUENCES RED WINES VOLTAMMETRIC PROFILE

Phenolic compounds play a central role in sensory characteristics of wine, such as colour, mouthfeel, flavour and determine its shelf life. Furthermore, the major non-enzymatic wine oxidation process is due to the catalytic oxidation of phenols in quinones. Due their importance, during the years have been developed different analytical methods to monitor the concentration of phenols in wine, such as Folin-Ciocalteu method, spectrophotometric techniques and HPLC. These methods can also be used to follow some oxidation-related chemical transformations.

Read More

Beyond liking scores: the importance of the drinking experience to understand our consumers

The presentation will approach the understanding of wine consumers´ perception based on the experiential model suggested by Warell (2008). In this framework, wine consumption gives rise to a
variety of experiences related to the perception, understanding, and judgment of the product. These
multidimensional facets of the drinking experience can be explored by measuring affective, cognitive,
and sensory responses of consumers, which are shown to be stable regardless of the social context.

Read More