Once you’ve uncorked a bottle of wine, there’s nothing more disappointing than discovering an unpleasant vinegary taste, indicative of an oxidised wine. This is precisely why packaging gases play a major role in preserving wine! This family of oenological products includes argon, nitrogen and carbon dioxide, three inert gases naturally present in the earth’s atmosphere. As with other food packaging, they help prevent the risk of oxidation by forming a protective atmosphere between the wine and the cork during bottling.
What are packaging gases used for in wine?
Packaging gases help to preserve red, white, rosé or sparkling wines after bottling, by protecting them from the risk of oxidation. But what exactly does “oxidation” mean?
To understand what oxidation is, you need to know one thing: unlike us humans, wine does not generally like prolonged contact with air, and more specifically with oxygen.
Oxygen tends to cause wine to deteriorate. One effect of this will be a change in the wine’s colour: a red wine may turn purplish or even brown (rather like an avocado turning brown after being cut), while a white wine will turn yellow. In addition, the taste of the wine will be affected: its original aromas, inherited from its terroirs and careful vinification, will disappear behind unpleasant, harsh flavours.
The packaging gases are there to prevent the wine from becoming oxidised: this is why we talk about packaging in a protective atmosphere.
How are packaging gases used after vinification?
Packaging gases are added to wine at the bottling stage. The winemaker creates a thin layer of gas between the top of the wine and the cork, preventing contact between the liquid and oxygen.
As packaging gases are so-called “inert” gases (meaning they do not take part in any chemical reactions with their environment), they do not interfere with the aromas or flavours of wine. The result? As well as protecting the quality of a wine, packaging gases have the advantage of being a discreet and neutral solution, with no impact on taste.
What are the different types of packaging gas used in bottles of wine?
There are 3 main types of packaging gas for wine: argon, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. If you can see the name of one of them on the label, your bottle of wine is well protected from the damaging effects of oxygen!
Nitrogen or N₂ (E941)
In the world of wine, nitrogen is a gas often used to purge oxygen from the bottle before bottling, and to limit the amount of dissolved oxygen.
Carbon dioxide or CO2 (E290)
Carbon dioxide is commonly used to preserve sparkling wines and their bubbles. CO2 creates a particularly protective atmosphere in this type of bottle.
Argon or Ar (E938)
Although more expensive, argon is a dense gas that ensures long-lasting preservation of wines for ageing and wines that are particularly sensitive to oxidation.
Are packaging gases used for purposes other than oenology?
Apart from their use in oenology, protective gases are closely linked with the packaging of food industry products. Protective atmosphere packaging is used for both fresh and canned products.
Packaging gases play a crucial role in preserving the quality of wine, without altering it, in the same way as wine preservatives, stabilisers or acidity regulators. Thanks to them, the risk of an unpleasant vinegary taste is now a thing of the past!