Technology Transfer: Changes in Materials and Containers used to Store & Transport Wine

By Haidee Johnson200900209

Sourced from: http://www.sha.org/bottle/wine.htm

Before the Wine Bottle Existed

Glassware from 1710.(Sourced from: http://www.wineintro.com/history/glassware/general.html)

Before the Wine Bottle Existed

• Egyptian clay pots were used to store wine.• Clay is the perfect material as it can be formed

into many shapes and sizes and when fired is indestructible.

• Wine stored in these vessels are then buried in the ground for temperature control or put into smaller vessels for easier transportation.

Before the Wine Bottle Existed

• Amphorae developed long vase, tapered at the bottom with two handles.• Designed to fit economic needs of that time.

Sourced from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphora

The Bottle Shape is Born

• Initially hand blown glass• Bottle has a small capacity

suitable for one drinking session

• Glass as a material allowed the wine to age and mature.

Sourced from: http://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/revwar/image_gal/morrimg/winebottle.html

The Bottle Shape is Born

• There was an issue, as each bottle was a different shape and size so the customer never knew exactly how much wine they were getting.

• Glass blowing became easier with time and the need for long flat shaped bottle became necessary

• 1979 US set law for bottles to be 750mL

Wine Bottle Types

Sourced from: http://www.wineylittlebitch.com/2012/03/wine-bottle-shapes-31-march/

Wine Bottle Types

• Bordeaux: short neck and high shoulder with punt

• Champagne: thick to handle pressure• German Riesling: Green, tall, and slender• Italy: Onion shape wrapped in straw• Bottles were marked instead of labels

Bottle Stoppers

• Old: Layer of olive oil, soaked rags, wooden stoppers

• Corks: French Monk Dom Perignon used for wine in 1600s

• Current: Screw Cap. No more cork taint but some view as cheap

Sourced from: http://www.yemmhart.com/news+/winecorkrecycling.htm

Wooden Barrels

• Earliest known cooper tools date back to 100 B.C

• Romans recognized barrels are better for storing liquid than wine

• Bow shape makes it easy to roll

• Today French and American oak used

Sourcedfrom:http://www.clker.com/clipart-10574.html

Wooden barrels

• Initial Problems:

• Initially the wood used for the barrels stripped the wine of all its fruit

• As soon as the cask was opened the wine would become contaminated and undrinkable if not consumed within a couple days.

Conditions for Transporting Wine

• Wine is perishable so the amount of movement needs to minimal

• Humidity should remain around 70%

• Temperature needs to be in between 13-16degrees Celsius

Modern Ways to Transport Wine

• Bulk: in ISO tanks (for international) and flexitank where wine is in bladder

• Bottles: tightly with cardboard dividers or polystyrene as glass is fragile

Current and Future Storage Containers

Sourced from: http://www.wineanorak.com/wine_in_pet_bottles.htm

Current Wine Storage Materials

• Stainless Steel Tanks in wineries• PET bottles: cheap, light, recyclable but short

shelf life• Light weight glass bottles: lighter and more

economical• Bag in Box: from 1960s for bulk wine cost

efficient packaging• Tetrapak: made from recyclable products, will

reduce gas emissions.

References• Before the Wine Bottle Existed. April 2009. Retrieved from:

http://salutwineco.wordpress.com/2009/04/27/historyofbottles/A Short History of Wine Bottles

• History of Glass Wine Bottles. (n.d). Retrieved from: http://www.wineintro.com/history/glassware/general.html

• The History of Wine Part 3: Wine Storage-Barrels. (2009). Retrieved from: http://www.snooth.com/articles/the-history-of-wine-part-ii-wine-storage-barrels/?viewall=1

• Pendleton, J. (2007). Wine History-When the Cork Met the Bottle. Retrieved from: http://thewinehistorian.blogspot.co.nz/2007/09/wine-history-when-cork-met-bottle.html

• The History of Wine Part 2- Wine Storage- The Early Days. (2009). Retrieved from: http://www.snooth.com/articles/the-history-of-wine-part-ii-wine-storage-the-early-days/?viewall=1#ixzz21bSBszLd

• Wine in PET Bottles: Will Plastic Replace Glass?. (n.d). Retrieved from: http://www.wineanorak.com/wine_in_pet_bottles.htm