What are the challenges of wine preservation during shipping?
There are many factors to consider when shipping wine internationally. Poor wine preservation can damage the quality and value of imported wines, rendering them unsalable. However, proper wine preservation methods can protect your wines withstand the demands of international shipping. Proper wine preservation techniques require an understanding of the factors that can damage your wine. These include:
Temperature fluctuations
Temperature fluctuations along the transport route can be detrimental to wine quality because it can cause changes in wine’s structure, accelerate its aging or ruin it.
Prolonged exposure to heat can also cause wine to age faster, resulting in a loss of color and acidity. Ultimately, this can mean previously fruity wine has a sour taste. The ideal temperature for wine is between 10 and 20°C, although fine wines are best stored below 17°C.
Humidity
The ideal relative humidity for wine preservation is around 70%, but this can be different depending on the wine itself. Humidity levels of 55-80% are recommended for fine wines, but below 50% humidity is best for commercial wines. During transport, wine can be exposed to extremes in temperature and humidity.
High humidity levels can cause mold growth on the wine bottle exterior and on the cork, which can contaminate the wine. Contrastingly, over time, low relative humidity can cause cork to contract and dry out, reducing their ability to seal wine bottles. It can also cause cork to crumble when the wine is opened, reducing customer satisfaction.
Similar musty or moldy aromas can be caused by 2,4,5-trichloroanisole (TCA) contamination that can develop when certain compounds are in contact with wood products used in the winemaking process. Wooden barrels used to transport wine require low humidity during transit to avoid these problems. Our integral insulation liner is another solution that provides a tested barrier against TCA and other contamination while reducing temperature and humidity fluctuations.
Vibration
Vibrations, even for a short period of time, can alter the quality and organoleptic properties of the wine, including its aroma. Excessive levels of vibration can increase the acidity of red wines, lead to an accelerated decrease in tannins, and lower the alcohol content of the wine.
Light exposure
Light exposure can also cause lightstrike, especially in sparkling wines, white wines and pale rosé. This can happen at any stage of the shipping, storage or even sales process if the wine is exposed to excessive light levels. It causes an initial loss of fruity flavors, followed by the development of unpleasant tastes that make the wine undrinkable. Storing your wines in a cool, dark place is the best way to prevent this problem. However, at some point it is likely that your wine will be exposed to light, such as in a point of sale environment. This fault can develop in white wine bottled in clear glass after only one or two days of light exposure in a typical sales environment, such as on display in a liquor store. Packaging your wine in green glass bottles can extend the shelf life of wine in these conditions.
Oxygen
When wine comes into contact with air, it will oxidize, leading to the development of an unpleasant vinegary taste. Wine making techniques, developed over thousands of years, have aimed to minimize the amount of wine that comes into contact with the air – hence the long-necked designs of wine containers, from ancient times to modern wine bottles.
.png?sfvrsn=fc4f657e_1)
