Abstract
Today, there is a trend in enology promoting a return to the use of old natural materials for the manufacture of storage and maturation wine tanks. One of the most sought-after characteristics of these materials is their permeability to oxygen from the atmosphere to improve wines without this being a harmful process. The reference performance in wine aging is, without doubt, the oak barrel for its ability to oxidize wines in a controlled way, thus improving them. It would be possible to mature wines in containers in which the use of wood is not obligatory, as opposed to aging in oak barrels or foudres. This work presents the results of oxygen permeation analysis under test conditions typical of a tank containing wine, using materials, such as concrete and granite. The oxygen permeability of the materials tested was very diverse, typical of natural materials. The results showed that earthenware presents an excessive permeability, not only to atmospheric oxygen, but also to liquids and needs treatment before being used in liquid containers. Claystone and concrete can be impermeable to liquids, but maintain permeability to atmospheric oxygen—making them candidates for use in permeable tanks for wine maturation. Finally, granite has some very interesting characteristics, though thickness control is required when calculating the desired oxygen transmission rate.
Highlights
During storage, wines are exposed to relatively low amounts of oxygen, which are, sufficient to influence the results of their maturation or storage
Knowledge of the oxygen permeability of wine aging or storage tanks is of great interest in enology, since the processes of refining and color stabilization require the collaboration of oxygen
The use of synthetic materials for the construction of these tanks, which interact with the wine as they are permeable to atmospheric oxygen, still deters many wineries in the Old World, due to their fear of damaging the perception of consumers who see aging as a traditional natural process, they accept technical advances if necessary
Summary
Wines are exposed to relatively low amounts of oxygen, which are, sufficient to influence the results of their maturation or storage. The use of synthetic materials for the construction of these tanks, which interact with the wine as they are permeable to atmospheric oxygen, still deters many wineries in the Old World, due to their fear of damaging the perception of consumers who see aging as a traditional natural process, they accept technical advances if necessary. Mainly high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), the so-called natural materials are an alternative [1]. They can be divided into two classes: Those that are produced on the basis of a formulation of different natural components, such as ceramics (Qvevri, terracotta or earthenware), claystone and concrete (considered as a natural material), and, on the other hand, a stone whose composition is not modifiable and depends on its origin though it is a composite. There is a significant demand in the wine sector for information about the behavior of these materials with respect to atmospheric oxygen because the data offered by manufacturers is contradictory and not supported by any scientific evidence
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