Enological Gases for Still Wines and Sparkling Wines

The potential benefits of enological gases start as soon as the grapes have been harvested. Oxygen (O₂) and premature fermentation can impact a wine's quality if the grapes are not properly protected. Our dry ice and carbon dioxide (CO₂) snow solutions are an ideal way to create a protective blanket around harvested grapes and musts as they are transported from the vineyard to the cellar. Benefits include improved control over fermentation timing, oxidation and browning, as well as a reduced need for sulfite treatments.

On arrival at the winery, our chilling solutions are also used to keep grapes cool as they are transferred to the maceration tank. This involves injecting pure, beverage-grade CO₂ snow directly into the grape transfer piping. While some CO₂ is dissolved in the grapes and releases desirable flavors and aromas, a portion of the gas sublimates in the transfer piping to create a protective blanket around the grapes. In some regions, we also offer liquid nitrogen (LIN) cooling lances to support cold stabilization, either replacing or complementing expensive mechanical cooling equipment.

At certain stages of winemaking, a carefully timed, tightly controlled supply of oxygen (O₂) is necessary to accelerate the activity and growth of yeasts. Hyper-oxidation accelerates the oxidation of the natural polyphenols in white grape must, which precipitate at the bottom of the tank. This oxidation process improves the color stability of white wines, leading to browning and the development of aromas. In some regions, we supply specially designed injection equipment for oxidation applications. We also supply inert gases for wine sparging. This can help maintain the proper balance of the dissolved, naturally occurring carbon dioxide (CO₂) in wine, displacing O₂ and reducing or increasing the CO₂ concentration as appropriate.

Oxygen (O₂) can compromise quality and character during pressing and storage. Unwanted oxidation can cause browning, loss of aromatics and undesirable taste. Our inerting gases and gas mixes enable you to precisely control the atmosphere in the press so you can protect your juice. Oxygen control is equally important during storage to avoid effects such as maderization, premature ageing and acetic drifts. Our enological gases can also be used to purge storage vessels before filling them with wine, to inertize the headspace in a vessel or to sparge wine as it is transferred from one vessel to another. This involves injecting very fine bubbles of inert gas into the wine to displace the O₂ and maintain the dissolved carbon dioxide (CO₂) content.

Demand for sparking wines is growing in many regions of the world, driven by steady interest in established varieties such as Prosecco, alternative sparkling styles and flavored wines, and the growing appeal of trendy aperitivo/spritz drinks among young adults. We help wineries create new sparking wine products by supplying food-grade carbon dioxide (CO₂) or - depending on individual specifications - beverage-grade CO₂. This gas is then infused into the liquid to create the well-know fizz and bubble effect.

The risk of unwanted oxidation is particularly high at the bottling stage. Exposure to ambient air can upset the carbon dioxide / oxygen balance, potentially degrading color, aroma and freshness. Here also, we have a number of solutions to assist. These include pre-purging the bottle prior to filling with an inert gas, bottling in an inert atmosphere, and injecting a very small quantity of liquid nitrogen into the bottle to purge the headspace as the gas vaporizes.