Deciphering the mechanisms of oxygen transfer into a wine bottle

This study aims to deepen the understanding of how oxygen transfers through wine bottle closures and their chemical reactivity and kinetics during storage. A miniaturized bottle system was designed to enable measurements with or without model wine. Different physical and chemical mechanisms, each with its own kinetics, were revealed through oxygen permeability measurements. Four main mechanisms were identified, each occurring over different timescales. In the first days of storage, rapid equilibrium is established between the gas and liquid phases of the model wine. During the early months, oxygen diffuses from the cork cells into the gas phase in the system. Phenolic compounds are then extracted from the cork and react with the oxygen released from the sealing system into the liquid phase, leading to a decrease in oxygen content over several months. Ultimately, long-term oxygen permeation through the closure results in a gradual, continuous increase in oxygen content within the mini-bottle system.