Influence of Vibration on the Consumption of Oxygen and Sulfur Dioxide in Wine Bottles Considering Bottle Position and Headspace Volume

In this study, the influence of vibration, bottle position, and initial headspace volume on the oxygen distribution inside a wine bottle were investigated. For this purpose, a model wine was filled in 0.75 L wine bottles and stored horizontally and vertically under different vibration intensities (500 mm/s2 and 1000 mm/s2) at a constant frequency of 50 Hz. The bottles were sealed with screw cap and cork closure and two different headspace volumes for each closure type. Our results indicated, that vibration and horizontal bottle position promoted the dissolution of oxygen from the headspace of the bottle into the wine causing accelerated sulfur dioxide degradation. The effect of vibration was larger in horizontally stored bottles indicating that a larger surface promotes oxygen uptake into the wine. In absence of headspace oxygen, vibration and bottle position showed no influence on sulfur dioxide-related oxygen degradation. Furthermore, it was shown that the dissolution of oxygen was faster under cork closure than under screw cap due to the overpressure by corking process. It was concluded that vibration and horizontal bottle position have a major impact on the dissolution of headspace oxygen from the headspace of the bottle into the wine but not on the chemical reaction of the dissolved oxygen with sulfur dioxide. The larger surface between the headspace and wine in horizontally stored bottles and the overpressure created by corking process accelerates the oxygen uptake from the bottles headspace into the wine.