Ullage (wine)

Lower level or filling level enology understands the level of the liquid in a wine bottle.

Level changes

With freshly filled bottles is in the bottleneck between the cork and the liquid level only a very small amount of air trapped (usually 1 cm or less). In the course of storage, then it comes because of the never completely tight connection between cork and bottle neck usually at a slight loss due to evaporation, because even the best cork is not so elastic that it fully conforms to the microscopically rough surface of the bottle neck. It comes at a minimal gas exchange.

The more carefully the wine is stored and the higher the quality of the cork, the lower and slower, however, is the loss. A sealed with a high quality cork wine is stored properly in a basement with high humidity, suffers in the first ten years is hardly a significant loss, then the loss accelerates gradually. Is the loss for the age of the wine, however, is noticeably high, this is usually an indicator of a defective cork or incorrect storage.

Level at Bordeaux bottle

The fill level of a wine bottle is usually identified with the following English words or abbreviations thereof, and refers to the type of bottles Bordeaux bottle:

Level with other bottles

For cylinders with other shapes (eg, Blanc, Riesling, etc.) is the description using the shoulder form difficult or even impossible. Here, the level is usually described by the distance between the wine level to the lower edge of the cork. Note that especially in Burgundy wines, the level in a bottle a slightly different value proposition than in a Bordeaux wine also apply. So suggests a level of 7 cm at a 50- year-old Burgundy indicate only a relatively low risk. A filling level of less than 5 cm would even be excellent for such a wine.

General rules

In general, however, the greater the amount of air in the cylinder, the greater the danger of oxidation. Bottles with low filling level can taste exceptionally well in exceptions however. This is, however, almost without exception, to the greatest wines and vintages in the world.

An exception to the rule, however, there is oxidation: Madeira is a wine that has been oxidized by definition. Here are levels not as meaningful as in other wines.

Influence of the cork

Like all organic substances loses a cork with age its suppleness. While it can survive for up to a century, an excellent, long corks, but it is advisable to drink a bottle with a defective cork or time to let new cork.

A Neuverkorkung can be performed using a suitable tool itself or by a wine merchant. This, however, proof of original origin is difficult, if not impossible, even if the original corks will be kept for this purpose often. It is optimal to Neuverkorkung of wine by the original manufacturer. This, however, requires expensive logistical effort and is used by some manufacturers also rejected, in order not to authorize any wine counterfeiting later. When Neuverkorkung the bottle is either similar wines from the same manufacturer (optimal - if present - with wine of the same vintage ) have been refilled to the highest level. Alternatively, the original level can also be achieved by addition of sterile glass beads, so the wine remains completely unaltered in the bottle.

Source

• Find out more about wine storage

• Wine as a theme
• Filling Technology