wein.plus
Attention
You are using an old browser that may not function as expected.
For a better, safer browsing experience, please upgrade your browser.

Log in Become a Member

Inert gas

inert gas (GB)

Inert substances (inert = inactive, uninvolved) are inert substances that do not participate in certain chemical processes because they do not contain oxygen. These are almost all gases (noble gases), except for the very reactive oxygen. In viticulture, these are nitrogen and carbon dioxide, which are often used as protective gases against undesired oxidation in wine containers. This prevents, for example, the wine from becoming chalky (wine defect). So-called inert gas mixtures are produced by burning combustion gases and then contain no oxygen but nitrogen and carbon dioxide. These mixtures are cheaper than, for example, pure nitrogen, which is, however, preferred. There are bottling plants that fill the empty space (head space) with inert gas before the bottle is capped in order to exclude oxidation.

This is particularly important when using screw caps, because the amount of oxygen in the empty space is much greater here. With internally sealing closures, such as the cork (whether natural or plastic), sealing under vacuum has also been used for a long time because this prevents excessive pressure in the headspace due to the cork being pushed in (excessive pressure could lead to the cork being pushed out). However, sealing under vacuum is now also possible with twist-off closures. Snow-dropping is also used in Australia, where dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) is added. When the dry ice comes into contact with the wine, it immediately evaporates, forcing the air out of the bottle neck. This is followed by immediate sealing. See also under preservation and oxygen management.

Voices of our members

Dominik Trick

The wein.plus encyclopaedia is a comprehensive, well-researched reference work. Available anytime and anywhere, it has become an indispensable part of teaching, used by students and myself alike. Highly recommended!

Dominik Trick
Technischer Lehrer, staatl. geprüfter Sommelier, Hotelfachschule Heidelberg

The world's largest Lexicon of wine terms.

26,367 Keywords · 46,924 Synonyms · 5,323 Translations · 31,701 Pronunciations · 201,867 Cross-references
made with by our author Norbert F. J. Tischelmayer. About the Lexicon

EVENTS NEAR YOU