Nondestructive colorimetric method to determine the oxygen diffusion rate through closures used in winemaking

Area of Science:

• Enology and Wine Science
• Food Science and Technology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Oxygen is a critical factor influencing the aging potential and quality of bottled wine.
• The effectiveness of wine bottle closures in preventing oxygen ingress is paramount for long-term storage.
• Understanding oxygen diffusion rates through different closures is essential for winemakers to ensure wine stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a nondestructive colorimetric method for quantifying oxygen diffusion in bottled wine.
• To assess and compare the oxygen diffusion rates through various commercially available wine closures.
• To investigate the influence of closure material on oxygen ingress over a 365-day storage period.

Main Methods:

• Development of a nondestructive colorimetric technique to measure oxygen diffusion (1-9.8 mg/L).
• Application of the method to evaluate oxygen diffusion through diverse wine closures.
• Horizontal storage of bottled wine for 365 days to monitor post-bottling oxygen ingress.

Main Results:

• The developed colorimetric method effectively measured oxygen diffusion rates.
• Significant variations in oxygen diffusion were observed among different closure types.
• Oxygen diffusion was notably higher in the initial month post-bottling compared to subsequent periods.
• Only the control bottle demonstrated impermeability to atmospheric oxygen after 365 days.

Conclusions:

• The type of closure material significantly impacts the rate of oxygen diffusion into bottled wine.
• Most commercial closures allow variable oxygen ingress, affecting wine aging potential.
• The developed colorimetric method provides a valuable tool for assessing wine closure performance.