After an autumn with a lot of work, in which we took care of the fermentation, filtration and stabilization of the wine, it's time to think about bottling.

We definitely want to make sure that our wine production will be kept in optimal conditions for a long time.

How do we know the wine is ready for bottling?

A wine ready to be bottled is clear, stabilized and healthy, having all the expected characteristics in terms of alcohol concentration, acidity, SO2 content, microbiological content, taste, smell and color.

Before bottling, the wine goes through three stages:

• pulling the yeast;
• bentonization and extraction of wine from bentonite;
• filtration with filter plates.

About the stage of filtering and stabilizing the wine, you can find the essential information in the previous article.

White and rose wine it is filtered sterile, in one or more filtrations, depending on the load. Sterile filtration through plates with extremely fine pores ensures the elimination of all yeast particles.

Red wine go through the same stages of pritoc, but sterile filtration is not recommended, so as not to lose the desired color.

there it is bottling solutions that you have at your disposal.

Bottling wine in bottles

It is considered the standard, thanks to its elegant appearance, but also because it allows the aging of the wine to its maximum potential. At the same time, bottles have the advantage of allows visual evaluation of the wine at any time, are hygienic, keep the qualities of the wine intact and allow personalization with the help of labels.

It is advisable to use transparent bottles for white and rose wine and colors, for red wine.

How do you proceed?

• Prepare the bottles - wash them well with softened water and disinfect them with SO2 solution.
• Fill the bottles with a dispenser gun. Leave a space of 10-15 mm from the surface of the wine at the level of the cork.
• Install the plug with the help dopuitorului, as soon as possible after filling the bottle, to avoid oxidation. Corks are ideal, because they make a tight closure and contribute over time to the wine bouquet.
• Install the hood heat-shrinkable plastic and wine label.

If you want to keep as much wine on the shelf as possible, we recommend using it quality plugs, of clogged cork, with smooth, non-porous ends.

After bottling, keep the bottle upright for a few hours, so that the stopper fits perfectly in the bottle and closes tightly.

Then, the bottles will be stored horizontally, so that the wine is in permanent contact with the cork - thus preventing the cork from drying out and air from entering the bottle.

Important: Carry out the bottling process in a sterile and hygienic environment.

Bottling of wine in a bag-in-box system

Depending on the amount of wine you have to bottle, you can opt for various bag-in-box devices. A semi-automatic bag-in-box machine or the automatic can significantly shorten the time required to fill the bags. They have a filling capacity that varies between 2-30L, depending on the bottling bags used and can be used both for bottling wine and for bottling juice.

Another advantage of this system is that the wine does not oxidize after we open the bag. As the wine runs out, the bag tightens and prevents air from entering.

What do you need for the bottling process?

• dosing gun connected to an electric pump that performs the transfer of wine;
• hose;
• tight bags special, provided with tap;
• support for fixing the bags;
• special boxes cardboard, for practical packaging of bags.

Therefore, the correct bottling of the wine guarantees that your wine will keep its qualities over time. The choice of a bottling procedure or another will depend on the available budget, as well as the consumption habits.

Good luck!

Team Loredo