Oxygen management in the bottle before corking: additional factors influencing wine longevity

Abstract

This presentation will share studies conducted by our research group on oxygen management in wineries, covering both the physicochemical principles governing oxygen behaviour in wine and technological strategies for controlling its incorporation during different winemaking operations. The main critical points of oxygen uptake will be described, together with practices to measure, minimise or appropriately manage oxygen in order to preserve wine quality and stability. The use of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and argon to displace oxygen and inert tanks, pipelines and equipment will be reviewed. The influence of winery materials and equipment, including hoses, connections and seals, on oxygen uptake during transfer and pumping will also be discussed. Strategies such as purging empty tanks, blanketing with inert gases, optimising gas volumes and reducing dissolved oxygen by gas sparging will be assessed, as will the persistence of protective atmospheres during storage. Finally, oxygen control during bottling will be addressed, with particular attention to dissolved oxygen, bottle headspace oxygen and available technologies for reducing both. Practical recommendations and gas-management protocols will be proposed to improve oxygen control and optimise winemaking practices.

References

1. Technical manual: Good practices for O2 management in the winery. Coordinators: Nevares, I.; del Alamo-Sanza, M. Authors: del Alamo-Sanza, M.; Asensio-Cuadrado, M.; del Barrio-Galán, R.; Bueno-Herrera, M.; Cárcel-Cárcel, L.M.; Carrasco-Quiroz, M.; Mallen Pomes, J.; Martínez-Gil, A.M.; Nevares, I.; Pérez-Magariño, S. Ediciones Universidad de Valladolid (2023), 35, 264 (ISBN 978-84-1320-264-8). https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/63572
2. Nevares, I.; del Alamo-Sanza, M. Oxygen Management in the Bottle before Corking: Additional Factors Influencing Wine Longevity. UVaMOX Group, University of Valladolid, Spain. Recording of the presentation delivered at Enoforum Spain 2026, Zaragoza, 20–21 May 2026. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNjbSWtI3dk