LABRENTA srl

Via dellinnovazione, 2
36042 Breganze (VI)- Italy
Tel +39.0445.873382 Fax +39.0445.300410
P.IVA 02454560240
info@labrenta.com
www.labrenta.com

GUIDELINES FOR
BOTTLING

INTRODUCTION
The bottling of the wines is the culmination of all the processes that they undergo.
And 'an essential part in allowing the wine to continue and to conclude that process started with the
maturation.
It 'basically at this stage that the elements of wine and the organoleptic characteristics, are refined
further so as to provide those wonderful bouquet that give value and prestige to wines.
Up to now, glass containers have proved the most suitable for storing wine, especially for long
periods.
The most important characteristics of glass bottles are:
-no odor
-impermeability to gases and liquids
The bottles commonly used fall into two categories:
-with the bit crown for table wines
-with the mouth-to cork for wines
The color of the glass is very important for wine storage, which is a function of light absorption.
Bottles are made of color half white, green, amber or dark.
A transparent bottle of wine makes it more attractive white or pink, however, is inadequate to
protect it from light radiation.
Washing bottles
Important is also the washing of bottles, this process helps to ensure the cleanliness of the
containers and to ensure proper presentation of the wine.

GETTING STARTED
To ensure the quality of the capping, you must ensure that the entire bottling line is in good
condition with regard to:
- The degree of wear of mechanical parts,
- Cleaning and hygiene,
- The regularity of maintenance.
THE BOTTLE
The good seal is greatly compromised if the bottle is wet.
In fact, the liquid film present between glass and cork makes cork moistened lose elasticity,
facilitating the passage of liquid.
In this way also caps usually end up having elastic sealing problems.
The causes may result from:
1. poor drying after washing the bottle,
2. condensation due to the difference in temperature between the glass and wine,
3. filling stream oriented so as to cause turbulence of the wine resulting in the formation of
foam,
4. filling level is too high.
With regard to the bottles in particular there is a rule of Community law, which meet the bottles
produced in European countries, providing an internal diameter of 18.5 0.5 mm flush mouth and
20 1 mm to 45 mm depth (calibration cetie ).
Traditionally, the bottles produced in Italy have slightly different measures (standardized UNI),
which provide an internal diameter of 17.5 mm 0.4 to flush the mouth
Depending on the size and shape of the neck of the bottle you have to choose the most appropriate
size of the cap.
Another aspect not to forget the level of filling of the bottle must be calculated according to the type
of bottle, the wine temperature (during filling, storage, transport it), the length of the cork.
Special tabulations used to calculate the expansion of the volume of wine as a function of
temperature increases. (Table 1)

-Table 1

Temperatura al
riempimento (C)

Temperatura massima di conservazione (C)

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

0.6mm

1.5mm

2.5mm

3.6mm

4.8mm

6.1mm

7.7mm

10

0mm

0.9mm

1.9mm

3.0mm

4.2mm

5.5mm

7.1mm

0mm

1.0mm

2.1mm

3.3mm

4.6mm

6.7mm

0mm

1.1mm

2.3mm

3.6mm

4.2mm

0mm

1.2mm

2.5mm

4.1mm

15
20
25

Depending on the type of bottle, you can then calculate the degree of elevation of the liquid related
to a certain increase of the storage temperature of the bottled wine.
The technician can then choose the appropriate level of coverage, which is then kept constant
thanks to the automatic control system exists in the modern fillers.
The excessive increase of this level during storage of the wine, causing a reduction in the void
volume inside the bottle (air chamber), can cause increased pressure inside the
room air may affect negatively the quality of the capping.
In this regard, it is recommended that the temperature during the filling of the cork, the wine and the
environment are never below 15 C.
The last thing to note is the position of the bottle immediately after capping.
In this regard, it should be noted that when a plug is compressed by capping and immediately
released, the elastic recovery of the cork is in various stages: almost instantaneously the cap takes
about 85% of the initial diameter, after 3 hours takes 95% , dopo6 hours 98% and 99% after 24
hours.
There is a clear need for a period of stationary vertical bottle after capping, as well as the
importance of size and regularity of the inner contour of the neck of the bottle.
The bottle should be lying down when the cap ensures a perfect seal.
To get a good seal would be needed just to keep the bottle corked up for several minutes, even
better for a few hours, although the high cadences bottling is often not possible to respect the term.
In our specifications state to keep the bottles upright, after bottling, for at least 10 minutes before

bedtime.
Another important parameter to consider is the temperature and humidity at which the bottles are
corked after bottling.
In our specifications indicate that the chain may have plugged the product of temperature
fluctuations from a low of -10 C to a maximum of 35 C.
CLEANING AND VERIFICATION OF THE CAPPER
The proper functioning of the capping keeps the cap in the best conditions of integrity.
If one considers the receiving hopper and piping down the caps, the factors that promote good
quality of capping are:
- The gentle movement of the mechanical and pneumatic systems,
- The lack of rough or sharp edges,
- The compatibility between the diameter of the devices and the size of the drop caps,
- The good condition of all moving parts.
The punch placement must allow good positioning of the cap at the time and it should have the
support of an optimal diameter of 14 mm, a vertical centering and good, the absence of gaps or
cracks.
The level of sinking ideal for a still wine lies flush mouth, both to facilitate the application of the
capsule, is to control precisely the volume of air space between cork and wine, is to prevent the
bottom of the cap is pushed to a point in the neck of the bottle too flared, where the cork is no
longer required.

HANDLING OF CAPS
Do not handle with your hands or wash the caps do not affect the layer of lubricant coated on the
surface of the cap.
Stab at the plugs which you intend to use have been subject to intense temperature change or remain
unused for a long period of time (over 6 months) is a good idea to check the oil level before
proceeding with the bottling.
To this end, sealing caps with such number of 6 bottles and keep them at room temperature at 20
C for 24 h.
Subsequently verified, using a dynamometer, the extraction force is between the minimum and
maximum values specified in the product data sheets.

POSSIBLE PROBLEMS DURING AND AFTER BOTTLING

The main problems that can be found on bottled wine which arise from the interaction cap / bottle
are:
- Phenomena of leaking,
- Partial auto-expulsion of the cap,
- Break of the uncorking cap.
- Low extraction forces
- High extraction forces
PHENOMENA OF LEAKING
Leakage is the phenomenon by which the wine is able to filter through the wall of the cap and the
glass, escaping from the bottle.
It can also stand out in a very short time and after the capping is a problem both for the negative
implications on the presentation of the bottle, and because a lack of space is no longer impervious to
oxygen.
1) The bottle, and more specifically the inner contour of the neck, can cause losses in the event of:
- Flare goes beyond what is expected from the norm,
- Excessive ovality,
- Bottlenecks that create overpressure phenomena, as make it more difficult evacuation of the
compressed air in the empty space of the bottle after the sinking of the cap.
2) The rate of capping can cause stickiness of the cap if:
- The compression is too fast or too strong, with loss of elasticity of the cork,
- Lying down on the bottle is too fast and prevent a resumption of the cap enough.
A plan to build up the bottles at the end of the chain of bottling can solve this problem.
At the root of many problems of stickness are the changes in temperature which undergoes a bottled
wine, particularly during storage and transport in the phase distribution of the product, changes the
size of which is very difficult to quantify and control by the the manufacturer.

RUPTURE OF THE UNCORKING CAP

The rupture of the cap piece at the time of uncorking can be caused by the use of caps too dry
(relative humidity less than 4%) or have cracks in them due to insects, for example, or a
membership too strong against the cap the glass.
The latter problem can be due to momentary variations in temperature during storage of the bottles,
which had at first softened and then hardened certain surface coatings (eg paraffin), inadequate
storage temperatures can also cause the presence of traces of lubricant in the wine.
Other risk factors common to both the cap-piece, both technical corks, include the uncorking,
namely:
- The use of unsuitable corkscrew (bit too short, excessive tip diameter than the diameter of the cap,
diameter of the spiral too small, not well centered in the tip cap, lever corkscrew twist the cap as the
extract from bottle)
- The misuse of the corkscrew (low sinking tip, excessive torque of the cap).
Finally, the uncorking can be difficult if the bottle has a bottleneck or an excessive flaring.

LOW EXTRACTION FORCES

Different extraction forces as specified in the product data sheets can be caused by:

Bottle neck wet

If the necks of the bottles are wet, water can interfere with the lubricant by changing the
coefficient of friction against the glass.
Geometry of neck of the bottle
Bottlenecks with a bigger internal diameter of the dimensions shown on the data sheets of
the bottles causing a decrease in extraction forces.
Excessive lubrication of corks
If the caps are lubricated by excessive extraction forces dynamometer can be very low ..

HIGH EXTRACTION FORCES

Extraction forces than is indicated in the technical specifications can be caused by:

Poor lubrication of corks

High temperature storage of caps
In this case, the lubricant is of the caps could lose its effectiveness
Caps kept in unsealed bags.
These caps can have a reduction in the amount of lubricant, more exposed to air.
Geometry of the bottle necks.
Bottlenecks can cause highly irregular increases in extraction force.