cork (cork) [prob Du., LG. kork (whence G. kork). Sp. alcorque cork sole of shoe, perh. of Arab. origin (see AL pref.).] 1. The bark or periderm of

Transcription

1 cork technica manua for the correct use of cork stoppers cork (cork) [prob Du., LG. kork (whence G. kork). Sp. acorque cork soe of shoe, perh. of Arab. origin (see AL pref.).] 1. The bark or periderm of the cork-oak Anything made of cork; 3. The cork-tree or cork-oak (Quercus suber) To stop (a botte, etc.) with, or as with, a cork

2 cork technica manua for the correct use of cork stoppers This manua has been produced with the contribution of: Amorim Cork Itaia Coombin & figio Mureddu Sugheri Sugherificio Ganau Sugherificio Moinas Technica and scientific committee: Coordination Vaeria Mazzoeni Institute of Oenoogy and Agro-food Engineering, Facuty of Agricutura Science, Università Cattoica de Sacro Cuore, Piacenza Committee members Andrea Acanfora Coombin & figio Michee Addis Sugherificio Moinas M. Gabriea Daavae Mureddu Sugheri Roberta Danzi UIV (Unione Itaiana Vini) Editoria coordination Noesis Comunicazione, Miano Antonea Nasini Sara Smedie Graphic design Marina de Cinque Maria Daria Fumi Facotà di Agraria Università Cattoica de Sacro Cuore, Piacenza Aessandro Ruggero Sugherificio Ganau Loris Vazzoer Assoenoogi Stefano Zaninotto Amorim Cork Itaia

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4 Cork is part of our history and cuture, writes Heena Pereira in her atest book [1], and whie this noted Portuguese cork researcher is referring to her own country here, it is a comment that aso appies to many other Mediterranean countries, incuding Itay. Her assertion is corroborated by the discovery of numerous archaeoogica finds from the Roman and Greek periods and even earier, as we as by quotations from numerous ancient iterary works.

5 In the past, cork was expoited for its therma insuation properties, resistance to impact, fotation in water and abiity to sea recipients, and a these uses remain virtuay unchanged today, despite the progress that has been made in the various fieds of human endeavour. The production of cork cosures for various types of beverage continues to be an important economic driver in some countries. In winemaking, cork enjoyed a virtuay unchaenged monopoy for centuries unti the deveopment of aternative cosure systems in recent decades. The success of cork in winemaking is expained by the fact that the gradua industriaisation of wineries starting in the 18th Century reveaed just how fexibe this materia is and how we it was abe to adapt to faster, more precise and increasingy highy automated botting ines. Today the cork industry has the at times difficut task of transforming a natura materia ike cork so that it can be used in modern wineries and of guaranteeing performance that preserves the quaity of the wine unti bottes are opened. To achieve this goa, cork stopper producers need to introduce increasingy strict contros in the various stages of production, but we shoud aso remember that cork stoppers perform their task best when used in carefuy controed conditions.

6 The purpose of this Manua is to examine in detai how cork stoppers are used in the wine-making industry, from deivery and corking through to bottes distribution and consumption. Ampe space is devoted to examining possibe probems reating to the use of cork cosures, their causes and troubeshooting procedures to resove them. Troubeshooting information is provided in tabe form for easy consutation and use directy in wineries. A the aspects considered are discussed for sti, sparking and semi-sparking wines. This Manua draws on mutidiscipinary competences in the cork and winemaking fieds, and whie addressed primariy to a technica audience, it is aso for students and producers who are ooking for specific information about the correct use of cork cosures in a singe, comprehensive study.

7 01 THE VARIOUS TYPES OF CORK STOPPER pag DELIVERY TO WINERY, STORAGE AND CONSERVATION OF CORK STOPPERS BEFORE USE pag USE OF CORK STOPPERS pag CELLAR STORAGE OF BOTTLED WINES pag TRASPORT, STORAGE BEFORE AND AFTER SALE, CONSUMPTION pag TROUBLESHOOTING pag BIBLIOGRAPHY pag. 52

8 01 1 THE VARIOUS TYPES OF CORK STOPPER The cork stoppers avaiabe on the Itaian market can be cassified as foows: one-piece natura cork stopper aggomerated stopper (*) one-piece comated natura cork stopper treated using cork dust and gue to eiminate surface defects aggomerated stopper with discs (1+1, 0+1 or 0+2 depending on the number of discs and their position in reation to the two ends of the cork stopper) (*) muti-piece or bonded natura cork stopper comprising two or more pieces of cork joined together by gue. The cork is obtained from ow thickness, sow-growing panks to produce high density stoppers new generation aggomerated stopper, obtained by means of the aggutination of cork granues treated with gue and that contains at east 75% cork granues (by weight) (*) (*) these stoppers are aso known as technica cork stoppers, in accordance with ISO 633:2007 Cork Vocabuary The choice of stopper is based on: Characteristics incuding diameter/ength/visua cass, determined as described in Nuovo Discipinare sue metodiche anaitiche per i controo de tappo di sughero ad uso enoogico [2] Overpressure inside botte, as foows: A) natura cork stopper (any type), for sti wines B) aggomerated stopper, for sti, semi-sparking and sparking wines C) aggomerated stopper with discs, for sti (0+1 or 1+1), semi-sparking and sparking wines (with discs ony on the end inside the botte) Insertion ine with respect to botte mouth, as foows: A) Straight cork: insertion of maximum 1 mm sink, for sti or semi-sparking wines B) Mushroom shaped corking: insertion of the cork to about haf of its ength, eading to the characteristic mushroom shape after securing in pace by museets, for semi-sparking and sparking wines. Usua pressure inside botte Generay speaking, the overpressure vaues inside the botte (at 20 C) for the various categories of wine are: sti and fortified wine: sight depression/overpressure compared with atmospheric pressure, depending on the botting system used semi-sparking wine: interna overpressure between 1.5 and 2.5 bar sparking wine: interna overpressure between 3.5 and 6 bar

9 01 BOX A DEFINITIONS (from the INTERNATIONAL CODE OF CORK STOPPER MANUFACTURING PRACTICE C.E. Liège, 6th Edition, 2011) FINISHED PRODUCTS Stopper product obtained from cork and/or aggomerated cork, made up of one or severa pieces and intended to sea bottes in order to preserve their contents. Muti-piece cork stopper cork stopper made from severa pieces of natura cork gued together. Aggomerated cork stopper made by extrusion/mouding (*) cork stopper obtained by means of the aggutination of cork granues, with a granuometric size between 0.25 and 0.8 mm, bonded with fexibe gue using a process of extrusion or mouding. Aggomerated straight cork stopper with natura cork discs for sti and semi-sparking wines stopper having a body made of aggomerated cork with one or more natura cork discs gued on one or on both ends. The aggomerate may be obtained from treated cork granues. Aggomerated cork stopper with natura cork discs for semi sparking and sparking wines (*) aggomerated cork stopper with one or more natura cork discs gued on one end. Aggomerated cork stopper with natura cork discs for traditiona method sparking wines (*) aggomerated cork stopper with one or more natura cork discs gued onto the same end. The disks may not be ess than 4 mm thick and the combined height of the discs must be between 10 and 13 mm. The aggomerate may be obtained from treated cork granues. (*) these stoppers are aso known as technica cork stoppers, in accordance with ISO 633:2007 Cork Vocabuary SEMI-FINISHED PRODUCTS Body natura cork cyinder made from one or more pieces, or from aggomerated cork, and obtained by extrusion or mouding Granuated cork cork fragments of variabe size obtained by grinding prepared cork and/or by miing manufactured cork stoppers or cork cut pieces, with dimensions generay between 0,25 mm and 8 mm, and aready cassified by grain size and buk density. Disc cyindrica piece of natura cork with variabe diameter and thickness, manufactured by cutting cork panks perpendicuary to the growth rings. Treated granuated cork granuated cork produced with a method that tends to improve organoeptic neutraity and is used in the production of «aggomerated treated granuated cork stoppers»

10 01 BOX B WINEMAKING PRODUCT CATEGORIES (Attachment I to European Counci Reguation no. 491/2009, 25 May 2009) Wine produced excusivey from the tota or partia acohoic fermentation of fresh crushed or uncrushed grapes or grape must. Has a tota acoho content of 15% by weight (with excusions). Fortified wine produced from partiay fermented grape must or from wine with the addition of neutra wine-derived acohos, distied wine, concentrated grape must (with excusions), having an effective acoho content between 15 and 22% by voume and a tota acoho content by voume of 17.5% (with excusions). Sparking wine produced from the first or second acohoic fermentation of fresh grapes, grape must or wine. On uncorking, the carbon dioxide produced derives excusivey from fermentation. The cuvée from which sparking wine is produced must have a tota acoho content of 8.5% vo. Bottes have an over pressure of 3 bar at 20 C. Fine sparking wine produced ike sparking wine from superior quaity wines (e.g. designated origin). Bottes have an overpressure of 3.5 bar at 20 C. Aromatic fine sparking wine produced using grape must or partiay fermented grape must from specific aromatic varieties. This sparking wine must have an effective acoho content of 6% vo. and a tota content of 10% vo. Bottes have an overpressure of 3 bar at 20 C. Semi-sparking wine produced with an effective acoho content of 7% vo. and obtained from wine with a tota acoho content of 9% vo. Bottes have an overpressure due to endogenous dissoved carbon dioxide of between 1 and 2.5 bar at 20 C. Gasified sparking wine / gasified semi-sparking wine produced by adding carbon dioxide to wine. Overpressure in bottes must compy with the vaues indicated above in the respective category. Note: excusions refer to various P.D.O. and P.G.I. wines 16 17

11 DELIVERY TO WINERY AND STORAGE OF CORKS BEFORE USE Cork stopper purchasing Choose the most suitabe cork based on: stye of wine wine pressure shipment conditions the interna diameter of the botte neck. It shoud be remembered that not a bottes are the same and that even bottes of the same type (e.g. standard Bordeaux botte), but of differing weights and produced by diverse suppiers, may have a different interna diameter the instructions and technica specification provided by the suppier. Deivery of cork stoppers When the cork stoppers are deivered to the winery, the foowing parameters must be checked: conditions of the vehices used, which must be dry, free of odours and not aso be carrying, together with cork stoppers, other materia that may in some way contaminate them (e.g. paint, sovents, detergents, food products with distinctive aromas, etc.) state of packaging, which must be seaed, undamaged and dry and paced on pastic paets or HT treated wooden paets according to commercia agreements defined with the suppier correspondence of the materia deivered to the materia ordered (type of cork, printing and quantity) quaity contros performed according to the Nuovo Discipinare sue metodiche anaitiche per i controo de tappo di sughero ad uso enoogico [2] check the eve of quaity agreed by suppier and customer

12 02 BOX C 1/2) 3) 4) 5/6) 7/8) 9) 10) Exampes of bown cork Exampe of dry year in a one-piece cork Exampe of dry year in a sparking wine cork (detai) Exampes of corkwood cork Exampes of insect gaeries Exampe of ongitudina cracking Exampe of transversa cracking SOME CRITICAL DEFECTS IN CORK STOPPERS (8, 9) BLOWN CORK DRY YEAR CORKWOOD INSECT GALERIES LONGITUDINAL OR TRANSVERSAL CRACKS A structura discontinuity in a year of growth, generay caused when trees oose a their eaves, causing the formation of one or more ayers of sma, fat ces. Sometimes this defect is visibe macroscopicay in the form of cracking on the atera surface or ends of the stopper, but sometimes it is competey invisibe. The defect resuts in tota or partia detachment of the two ayers at the site of the cracking. A woody discontinuity inside the suberose tissue, caused by the incusion in a ayer of cork of the underying conducting ces (phoem tissue) as a resut of a period of intense aridity; this discontinuity may be amost tota (in this case a dry year is the cause) or partia, generating woody nodues or incusions. Cork stopper with one or more areas of suberose tissue which have not matured competey, in which ces have a transucent and brownish appearance. During storage of panks, this tissue becomes ighter in coour and shrinks, causing deformation. Cork with one or more insect gaeries. Generay these hoes extend aong one growth ring and can affect both the diameter and ength of the cork stopper entirey or in part. The cork has two hoes on the surface of the stopper. Corks with one or more openings of irreguar shape and ength on the backside. A crack can be ongitudina if it deveops in verticay aong the height of the cork, or transversa if it deveops horizontay

13 02 3 Cork stopper storage Packaged cork stoppers shoud never be eft outdoors and immediatey transferred to a proper indoor storage area. This area must be: cean, we-aired and dry at the idea temperature and reative humidity of C and 50-70% respectivey (ower temperatures down to 5 C are acceptabe, as ong as the corks are conditioned for at east 24 hours at the optimum temperature before use) free of odours which coud contaminate the product used excusivey for storing cork stoppers if possibe, but in any case must never contain chemica substances of any type (paint, hydrocarbons, ceaning products, vineyard treatment products, etc.) ceaned using chorine-free detergents free of wood or woody materia (paets, posts, panks, etc.) treated with chemica substances and particuary with haophenos we advise anaysing the air in storage areas periodicay to check for any chemica poutants (haophenos and haoanisoes) in accordance with current egisation we recommend painting was with moud resistant paints and which do not reease substances responsibe for sensory anomaies (Standard UNI 11021:2002) corks must aways be stored in their origina, seaed and undamaged bags (in the event of opening for samping purposes, containers must be reseaed immediatey) the bags must be raised above ground and never exposed to sunight, even through gass cork stoppers must be used before the date recommended by the manufacturer stocks must be used on a FIFO basis (First In First Out) 22 23

14 03 BOX D 1 CORK STOPPERS USE REQUIREMENTS OF BOTTLE (extract from the Technica Specification for the suppy of Standard Wine Bottes, Assovetro and Unionvini, 1st revision, November 2009) Botte checks In addition to the requirements given in Box D, bottes must aso be free of the defects defined in point of the Technica Specification for the suppy of Standard Wine Bottes (Assovetro and Unionvini, 1st revision, November 2009) and specificay: Bottes must be manufactured with gass suitabe to contain food products (type A sodium-cacium gass in accordance with the Itaian Ministeria Decree dated 21/03/1973, as amended) and in compiance as regards heavy metas with Legisative Decree no. 22, dated 05/02/97 (ratifying European Counci Directive 94/62, 21/12/1994) as amended on 19/02/2001 and 08/05/2006. The technica characteristics of the botte and mouth and imitations on the use of containers are set out in the technica documents provided by each gass manufacturer. The dimensions of the container must be as per the technica drawing. The toerances of diameter, height, verticaity, and mouth paraeism must compy with CE.T.I.E. reguation DT2. The capacity of bottes Measuring containers must compy with the requirements of Decree Law 451, 03/07/76 and Law no. 416, 19/08/76. The officia contro method is set out in ISO 8106:2004. For use with sparking wine, the bottes must be suitabe and certified for botting wine with an interna overpressure of 3,5 bar. For semi-sparking wines, bottes must be suitabe and certified for botting with an interna overpressure of between 1.5 and 2.5 bar. Cass B: this cass incudes a nonconformities which fai to ensure the correct storage and consumption of the wine Edge cutting Fat bubbes at mouth Mouth paraeism in respect of maximum toerance pursuant to CE.T.I.E. DT2 reguation (if precudes a correct corking) Out of vertica in respect of maximum toerance pursuant to CE.T.I.E. reguation DT2 (if precudes correct corking) Crease on mouth Interna profie of mouth out of specification Cass C: this cass incudes a nonconformities that affect fiing ine productivity: Narrow necks (if they cause fiing or corking probems) Bottes out of dimensiona specifications Resistance to interna pressure out of specification Mixed bottes in paet (the presence of ony one different container requires the entire deivery batch to be temporariy set aside. This nonconformity is managed by common agreement between the parties) 24 25

15 ) Exampe of sparking wine cork deformation 3) Exampe of scratching caused by incorrect corking machine operation 4) Exampe of sti wine cork deformation 5) Exampe of over-insertion Preiminary corking machine checks Check that the jaws are in good condition and cean Ensure adequate ceaning of the corking turret, the cork eevators and the feeding hoppers Check the point of maximum compression of the corking jaws (optimum diameter 15.5 mm) Maintain adequate cork orthogonaity Check that the botte advancing systems are suitabe for the used bottes Adjust the height of the corking head in accordance with the botte used Check that the compensation spring, if present, is in good condition Check saturation system operation, if present Check vacuum system operation, if present System operating checks Botte fiing: Check the fiing eve and adjust if necessary based on fiing temperature and/or subsequent heat treatment of the wine Check that there is no iquid ayer in the section of the neck between cork and gass (essentia in the case of fortified or dessert wines) Check for any pressure in the botte due to transport gas (for sti wines) Check the depression vaue (for sti wines) Check auto-eve system operation, if present Botte corking: Check that the cork is perfecty inserted into the compression chamber and does not protrude outside it Check that the compressing system does not cause any deformation or ateration to the cork structure Check the precise eve of cork insertion (for straight cork stoppers botting between 0 to 1 mm range) ) Exampe of cork deformation caused by incorrect cork insertion into the botte

16 03 3 BOX E Check the voume of the headspace - The free voume between the base of the cork and the wine must be about 1% of the voume of the wine at a temperature of 20 C [3], in order to imit the increase in interna pressure due to the diation of the wine as a resut of an increase in temperature. For exampe, in a 0.75 botte, the voume of the headspace must be about 8 m. This voume can be cacuated using the formua V= π r 2 h - In practice, the height of the headspace is often used; however, this measurement is indicative and shoud be assessed according to the characteristics of the botte Check that there are no vibrations and avoid sudden stops during corking Do not exceed the maximum number of bottes/hour per corking head recommended by manufacturer (for sti wines) Check that the cork shows no signs of sef-expusion (for mushroom shaped corking) Museet appication (for sparking and semi-sparking wines): Check museet positioning and appication Check that museet does not affect cork orthogonaity Check the ength of the cork wire museet after appication (24 ± 1 mm). This measurement refers to the 0+2 cork; for other types (e.g. 0+1) pease refer to the manufacturer s specifications. Make sure that the ength is correct ensures a good sea as a resut of the crown effect (see BOX E ) CROWN EFFECT (Excerpt from: Manuae di tappatura per vini spumanti ) (4) When the museet is tied under the botte s mouth, it causes an eastic deformation of the section of cork stopper that is eft outside the botte s neck during corking. This eastic deformation produces the so-caed crown cap effect. The crown cap effect is produced by meta crown caps that are crimped onto the botte mouth in such a way as to compress a thin sea between the meta part and the surface of the botte mouth. Museets obtain the same effect by expoiting the fexibiity and deformabiity of a cork stopper, which is compressed axiay onto the botte mouth. The creation of this area of maximum compression of the materia bocks the micro pores in the cork aggomerate by eastic deformation, so achieving the crown cap effect. 45 mm 45 mm 25 mm ø 20 mm 27 mm ø 19 mm 28 Exampe of headspace height, equa to a free voume of 1% of the wine voume, in two types of 0.75 Bordeaux botte The picture iustrates the vertica cross-sections of two botte necks, the first cosed with a crown cap and the second with a crown cap effect cork stopper with museet. The arrows indicate the contact areas between the crown cap effect cork and the botte. 29

17 03 4 BOX F End of ine checks Check the positioning of the cork at standard temperature (20 C) Check the iquid eve at standard temperature (20 C) Check that the overpressure inside the botte is ess than 0.5 bar (for sti wines) Check that there is no water or moisture on the externa surface of the cork before capsuing (for sti wines) Check for damp corks before packaging in cartons Keep bottes upright at the end of the ine for as ong as possibe (minimum time recommended: 3 hours) (see Box F too) BEHAVIOUR OF ONE-PIECE CORK STOPPERS AFTER COMPRESSION AND RELEASE After compression by the corking machine jaws and reease, onepiece cork stoppers have the foowing dimensiona recovery rates: a) instantaneous: 85% of origina diameter b) after three hours: 95% of origina diameter c) after 24 hours: 99% of origina diameter 30 31

18 BOX G CELLAR STORAGE OF BOTTLED WINES Suitabiity of the cear Temperature STOPPER/BOTTLE SEAL SYSTEM (5, 6) Exampe of insect damage to a cork stopper. Aso note signs of wine eakage Cork easiy absorbs odours and cear storage areas for bottes must be free of substances which have a negative sensory impact, incuding haophenos and haoanisoes Storage areas must be free of insects whose arva can damage cork (the most frequent are, for exampe, moths from the Tineidae and Oecophoridae famiies) Current food and heath reguations must be appied The temperature of storage areas is a crucia variabe in ensuring the best possibe sea between cork and botte and must be kept in the range 15 to 18 C. Rises in temperature cause the voume of the wine to increase (about 0.2 m/ C), reducing the headspace and increasing the interna pressure. This puts the cork sea at risk. See Box G for further information The eakage of wine from corked bottes mainy affects one-piece cork stoppers, but aso other types, athough ess frequenty. Athough the phenomenon is generay referred to as eakage, there is a distinction between: eakage, which is a more serious defect, with the percoation of wine through the cork or aong a crease; the oss of wine does not stop and in genera the botte is unsaeabe Staining, or the process by which wine eaks between the gass and the cork, causing a minima oss of product; the staining may be momentary Apart from the appearance of the botte, even a sma seepage of wine can increase the humidity on the outer face of the cork or in the space between the cork and the capsue, which risks improving funga growth

19 Exampe of wine seepage on the outer surface of a cork Exampe of moud proiferation on the outer surface of a cork C ,85 1,80 1,74 1,68 1,64 1,59 1,54 1,45 1,68 1,64 1,36 1,32 1,28 1,24 1,20 1,16 1,13 1,09 1,06 1,03 1,00 0,97 0,95 0,93 0,91 0,88 Temperature Wines botted with straight cork may have a risk of partia rising of the cork. For semi-sparking wines, temperature rises cause an increase in the interna overpressure as indicated in the conversion tabe given in the tabe aongside. This may cause a oss of interna overpressure. Tabea: Ratio between the overpressure (expressed in Pasca) of a semi-sparking wine at 20 C and the overpressure at a temperature t Humidity If the air is too dry, it can cause the outer surface of the cork to dry out excessivey, causing a oss of easticity and sea probems. In overy damp environments, on the other hand, moud can proiferate on the outer surface of the cork, accompanied by the risk of transmitting unpeasant favours to the wine. The reative humidity must be between 60% and 80%. Exampe of eakage and consequent growth of moud on a sparking wine cork Botte position during storage In the past, the vertica or horizonta storage of bottes of sti wine was regarded as a variabe abe to contro the ingress of oxygen into bottes. Recent studies tend to minimise the impact of the position of bottes on the evoution of the wine they contain, as no quantitative differences between the amount of oxygen to enter in the two cases have been found [7]. So far as concerns the effect on the easticity of the cork (with the possibiity of wine staining) and on the increased risk of contamination through wine/cork contact, the choice of botte position must take account of the correation between interna neck profie and cork stopper dimensions, type of stopper used and stye of wine

20 SHIPMENT, STORAGE BEFORE AND AFTER SALE, CONSUMPTION Botte shipment During shipment, the quaity of corking can be ensured if: the containers and trucks used are in a good sanitary state and have not been contaminated by previous oads the bottes of wine have not been subjected to temperatures over 40 C the bottes of wine have not been subjected to temperature swings of more than 30 C Storage of bottes before sae The distributor/retaier s storage area for bottes before sae shoud have the foowing characteristics: no anomaous odours or substances that can contaminate the product from a sensory point of view controed temperature (15-18 C) and humidity (60-80%); the bottes must never be subjected to temperatures over 40 C or temperature swings of more than 30 C ambient conditions must be such as to guarantee uniform conservation of the batch Conservation of bottes after sae and consumption The factors to take into consideration for the purposes of preserving the characteristics of the product are: storage time before consumption storage conditions (high temperature environments) consumption temperature (for sparking wines) stopper freezing correct corkscrew use ceaniness of gasses 36 37

21 TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE Important information for the correct use of this troubeshooting guide: the tabe beow ists causes, checks and precautions reating to probems affecting botted wine resuting from the cork, botte, fiing, capping, storage or consumption aso indicated are various probems affecting botted wine, the causes of which may be different from those mentioned above. Ony the most frequent probems are presented in this tabe, the causes of which reate to production steps prior to the wine coming into contact with the cork. Other issues reating to good winemaking practice are outside the scope of this manua cork stoppers for sparking wine are intended as type 0+2 the "references" coumn indicates where further information can be found in the Manua for anaytica methods of checking cork stoppers consut "Nuovo discipinare sue metodiche anaitiche per i controo de tappo di sughero ad uso enoogico" [2] checks and precautions are ony indicated if they can be performed by users 06 1 STILL WINE 2 SEMI-SPARKLING WINE 3 SPARKLING WINE ISSUE ORIGINS CAUSES CHECKS/PRECAUTIONS REFERENCES CORK BREAKAGE CORK - anomaies in cork - check that there are no critica defects BOX C - non-compiant aggomerated body - assess in advance the apparent reative density, state of aggomeration and torsion test of the body - insufficient ubrication - check in advance cork dimensions CONSUMPTION - unsuitabe corkscrews and/or incorrect technique used for uncorking - use suitabe corkscrews and/or correct manua uncorking technique SECTION 5.3 CORK PUSHED ABOVE BOTTLENECK LINE CORK - non-compiant aggomerated body - diameter insufficient in reation to the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck - assess in advance the apparent reative density and state of aggomeration of the body - determine in advance optimum cork dimensions based on the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck SECTION excessive ubrication - check in advance ubrication state by assessing extraction force BOTTLE - interna neck profie non-compiant or unfit for use - check in advance the interna profie of the botte neck and that there is no reverse tapering SECTION 3.1/BOX D CORKING - high overpressure: n poor corking machine jaw compression - check jaw compression diameter SECTION 3.2 n cork inserted too sowy - check cork insertion speed n insufficient headspace voume - check headspace voume n incorrect museet appication - check correct museet positioning STORAGE - temperature rise during botte storage and/or shipment - check botte storage and/or shipment conditions SECTION 5/BOX G DISC BREAKAGE CORK - anomaies in disc cork - check that there are no critica defects BOX C - diameter arger than the acceptabe toerance above the nomina vaue - check in advance cork dimensions - diameter unsuitabe in reation to the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck - determine in advance optimum cork dimensions based on the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck SECTION 2.1 BOTTLE - interna neck profie non-compiant or unfit for use - check in advance the interna profie of the botte neck SECTION 3.1/BOX D CORKING - excessive cork stopper compression - check jaw compression diameter SECTION

22 06 1 STILL WINE 2 SEMI-SPARKLING WINE 3 SPARKLING WINE ISSUE ORIGINS CAUSES CHECKS/PRECAUTIONS REFERENCES DISC DETACHMENT CORK - diameter arger than the acceptabe toerance above the nomina vaue - check in advance cork dimensions - diameter unsuitabe in reation to the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck - determine in advance optimum cork dimensions based on the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck SECTION poor disc/body adhesion - perform in advance a boiing resistance test BOTTLE - interna neck profie non-compiant or unfit for use - check in advance the interna profie of the botte neck SECTION 3.1/BOX D CORKING - excessive cork stopper compression - check jaw compression diameter SECTION 3.2 EXCESSIVE ABSORBTION / LEAKAGE / SEEPAGE CORK - diameter smaer than the acceptabe toerance beow the nomina vaue - diameter insufficient in reation to the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck - check in advance cork dimensions - determine in advance optimum cork dimensions based on the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck SECTION anomaies in cork - check that there are no critica defects BOX C - inadequate surface coating treatments - perform iquid sea capacity - uncorrect cork stopper conservation - check ength and conditions of cork stopper storage SECTION 2.3 BOTTLE - interna neck profie non-compiant or unfit for use - check in advance the interna profie of the botte neck SECTION 3.1/BOX D FILLING - moisture present on neck between cork and gass - check fiing process CORKING - scratching, foding or faring present - check correct corking machine jaw operation SECTION cork skewed - check correct botte position with respect to insertion punch - excessive cork compression - check jaw compression diameter SECTION poor cork stopper insertion - check that cork is inserted 24 ± 1 mm after museet appication - incorrect museet positioning - check correct museet positioning - high overpressure: n poor corking machine jaw compression - check jaw compression diameter SECTION 3.2 n cork inserted too sowy - check cork insertion speed n insufficient headspace voume - check headspace voume STORAGE - incompete stopper dimensiona recovery: insufficient vertica storage of bottes - wait at east three hours before aying bottes down SECTION bottes stored in an environment that is too dry - check that storage area humidity is between 60% and 80% SECTION temperature rise during botte storage and/or shipment - check botte storage and/or shipment conditions SECTION

23 06 1 STILL WINE 2 SEMI-SPARKLING WINE 3 SPARKLING WINE ISSUE ORIGINS CAUSES CHECKS/PRECAUTIONS REFERENCES HARDWOOD CORK CORK - anomaies in disc cork - check that there are no critica defects BOX C CORKING - insufficient cork insertion - check that cork is inserted 24 ± 1 mm after museet appication BOTTLE - interna neck profie cyindrica (virtuay no taper) - check in advance the interna profie of the botte neck SECTION 3.1 WINE - wine pressure too high - check wine pressure in botte STORAGE - high pressure due to incorrect botte shipment and/or storage - check botte conservation and/or shipment conditions SECTION 5 - bottes stored for very ong periods SUNDRY - fa in interna overpressure - see "oss of interna overpressure" section HARD TO UNCORK CORK - density too high - check in advance the apparent reative density of the cork - diameter arger than the acceptabe toerance above the nomina vaue - check in advance cork dimensions - diameter too arge in reation to the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck - determine in advance optimum cork dimensions based on the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck SECTION bad choice of ubricant or insufficient amount used - check in advance ubrication state by assessing extraction force BOTTLE - interna neck profie non-compiant (e.g. mouth with overhang) or unfit for use - check in advance the interna profie of the botte neck SECTION 3.1/BOX D - anti-scratch coatings inside neck - check in advance for widespread defects using botting test CORKING - over-insertion of cork stopper - check that cork is inserted no more than 24 ± 1 mm after museet appication - unsuitabe wine pressure - check wine pressure on corking; if it is correct, there may be a subsequent oss of pressure (see "oss of interna overpressure") - wine pasteurised in botte or botted with an hot fiing machine - inform the cork suppier about the botte treatment process STORAGE - unsuitabe cork stopper conservation - check cork conservation conditions and period SECTION

24 06 1 STILL WINE 2 SEMI-SPARKLING WINE 3 SPARKLING WINE ISSUE ORIGINS CAUSES CHECKS/PRECAUTIONS REFERENCES IRREGULAR EVOLUTION OF WINE CORK - oss of cork sea: n anomaies in cork - check that there are no critica defects BOX C n diameter smaer than the acceptabe toerance beow the nomina vaue - check in advance cork dimensions n diameter insufficient in reation to the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck - determine in advance optimum cork dimensions based on the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck SECTION 2.1 n oxidising substance residues on cork - assess in advance the reease of oxidising substances BOTTLE - oss of cork sea: n interna neck profie non-compiant or unfit for use - check in advance the interna profie of the botte neck SECTION 3.1/BOX D CORKING - oss of cork sea: n scratching, foding or faring present - check correct corking machine jaw operation SECTION 3.2 n poor cork stopper insertion - check that cork is inserted 24 ± 1 mm after museet appication n moisture present on neck between cork and gass - check fiing process n cork skewed - check correct position of botte with respect to insertion punch n incorrect museet appication - check correct museet positioning WINE - contamination by grapes in bad sanitary state - do not use grapes in bad sanitary state - contact with containers or equipment that are not sufficienty cean - cean containers and equipment that come into contact with wine using chorine-free products - contact with contaminated wood - check in advance for the presence of contaminants - contamination of cear environment - store wine in areas free of contaminating substances STORAGE - unsuitabe cork stopper usage and conservation - store corks in a suitabe area and do not eave in open sacks or hoppers SECTION temperature rise during storage and/or shipment of bottes - check botte storage and/or shipment conditions SECTION

25 06 1 STILL WINE 2 SEMI-SPARKLING WINE 3 SPARKLING WINE ISSUE ORIGINS CAUSES CHECKS/PRECAUTIONS REFERENCES LOSS OF INTERNAL OVERPRESSURE CORK - non-compiant aggomerated body - assess in advance the reative density and state of aggomeration of the body - diameter smaer than the acceptabe toerance beow the nomina vaue - check in advance cork dimensions - diameter insufficient in reation to the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck - determine in advance optimum cork dimensions based on the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck SECTION 2.1 BOTTLE - interna neck profie non-compiant or unfit for use - check in advance the interna profie of the botte neck CAPITOLO 3.1/BOX D CORKING - scratching, foding or faring present - check correct corking machine jaw operation SECTION cork skewed - check correct position of botte with respect to insertion punch - cork inserted too far - check that cork is inserted 24 ± 1 mm after museet appication - incorrect museet positioning - check correct museet positioning MOULD GROWTH ON OUTER SURFACE OF CORK CORKING STORAGE - moisture or iquids present on the outer surface of cork before capsue appication - moisture or wine present on outer surface of cork before corking - check that the outer surface of the cork is dry and without funga growth before capsue appication - check that on corking the outer surface of the cork is dry and without funga growth - bottes stored in overy damp environment - check that storage area humidity is between 60% and 80% SECTION 4.3 PRESENCE OF CORK DUST OR FRAGMENTS IN WINE CORK CORKING - anomaies in cork - residua processing dust present - corking machine not sufficienty cean - check that there are no critica defects - check in advance for determination of dust - adequatey cean the entire corking system before and during operation BOX C SECTION cork damaged by corking machine jaws or feed system - check correct corking machine jaw operation and the feed system SECTION faring and/or chipping with cork fragmentation due to bad centering - check correct botte position with respect to insertion punch 46 47

26 06 1 STILL WINE 2 SEMI-SPARKLING WINE 3 SPARKLING WINE ISSUE ORIGINS CAUSES CHECKS/PRECAUTIONS REFERENCES SELF-EXPULSION OF CORK CORK - incorrect choice of ubricant or excessive amount used - check in advance ubrication state by assessing extraction force BOTTLE - interna neck profie non-compiant or unfit for use - check in advance the interna profie of the botte neck SECTION 3.1/BOX D CORKING - poor cork stopper insertion - check that cork is inserted 24 ± 1 mm after museet appication - high wine pressure - check wine pressure on corking STORAGE - temperature rise during storage and/or shipment of bottes - check botte storage and/or shipment conditions SECTION 5 SENSORY TAINTING DUE TO CONTAMINATION BY MICROBIAL METABOLITES CORK WINE - contamination of cork in forest environment - contamination of cork during processing - contamination by grapes in bad sanitary conditions - contact with containers or equipment that are not sufficienty cean - sensory and/or instrumenta anaysis on corks - sensory and/or instrumena anaysis on corks - do not use grapes in bad sanitary conditions - cean containers and equipment that come into contact with wine using chorine-free products - contact with contaminated wood - check in advance for the presence of contaminants - contamination of cear environment - store wine in areas free of contaminating substances STORAGE - unsuitabe cork stopper usage and conservation - store corks in a suitabe area and do not eave in open bags or hoppers SECTION unsuitabe botte storage - check botte storage conditions SECTION

27 06 1 STILL WINE 2 SEMI-SPARKLING WINE 3 SPARKLING WINE ISSUE ORIGINS CAUSES CHECKS/PRECAUTIONS REFERENCES TOO EASY TO UNCORK / CORK SPINNING INSIDE THE BOTTLENECK CORK - poor density - diameter smaer than the acceptabe toerance beow the nomina vaue - check in advance the apparent reative density of the cork - check in advance cork dimensions - diameter insufficient in reation to the interna - determine in advance optimum cork dimensions based on the interna diameter and profie of the botte neck SECTION bad choice of ubricant or excessive amount used - check in advance ubrication state by assessing extraction force BOTTLE - interna neck profie non-compiant or unfit for use - check in advance the interna profie of the botte neck SECTION 3.1/BOX D CORKING - insufficient cork insertion - check that cork is inserted 24 ± 1 mm after museet appication - structura damage to cork - check the position of the insertion punch and the museet - high wine pressure - check wine pressure on corking 50 51

28 07 BIBLIOGRAPHY 1) H. Pereira, Cork. Bioogy, Production and Uses, Esevier Ed., Amsterdam. 2) Nuovo discipinare sue metodiche anaitiche per i controo de tappo di sughero per uso enoogico, [can be downoaded from the website ( cork section)] 3) Discipinare sua produzione ed utiizzo de tappo di sughero in enoogia, Stazione Sperimentae de Sughero - Tempio Pausania, Istituto di Enoogia - Università Cattoica de Sacro Cuore - Piacenza. 4) V. Mazzoeni, M. Addis, A. Bianco, A. Ferrero, Manuae di tappatura per vini spumanti, 5) M. Lambri, E. Grio, I probemi di coatura dea tappatura dee bottigie di vino in reazione a impiego de tappo in sughero, - Internet Journa of Viticuture and Enoogy, no. 4/1. 6) J.M. Ribouet. C. Aegoet, Aspects pratiques du bouchage des vins, Bourgogne Pub., La Chapee de Guinchay. 7) P. Lopes, C. Saucier, P.L. Teissedre, Y. Gories, Impact of Storage Position on Oxygen Ingress through Different Cosures into Wine Bottes, J. Agric. Food Chem., 54, ) Charte des bouchonniers iègeurs, Cinquième édition, November ) O. Coagrande, I tappo di sughero, Chiriotti Ed., Pineroo