Transportation of wine over long distances (Sarah Luke)

The transportation of wine is a very important part of

exporting. This is because wine is perishable. The

transportation of wine over long distances can be expensive and risky.

The earliest wine was most likely transported

in animal skins and bladders. Though these

containers have not survived, the materials

would have been available for carrying and

transporting small amounts of wine.

A typical amphora is quite thick,

approximately one inch and made out of clay. It has a pointed tip which allows it to be

buried into the ground to secure it during

storage or transportation.

The dolium is a large clay jar made by the

Romans. It was used fro storage shipping and

aging wines. It would be buried up to its neck

under the surface.

Traditionally barrels are made from oak. But back

when they were first created they were made

from pine. By around 400AD barrels were the most

common container used for storage and

transportation and the use if amphorae was unheard of.

Wine bottles starting

being used in the mid to

late 1600s. When the

bottle is sealed off with

a cork it allowed for long

term aging of wines.

Now more commonly

used are screw cap lids

There are three main ways to

transport bulk shipments of wine.

• In bottles

• An ISO tank

• A flexi tank

The wine can be bottled at a

bottling plant, boxed in cases

and packed into a large container.

The container can then be

transported by truck to a port and

can be exported overseas.

ISO tanks are stainless reusable tanks that can fit

directly onto a standard sized truck. This means that

they can be transferred very easily to rail or sea

transport. They can hold a maximum of 26,000 litres

of wine.

Flexitanks are containers that are fitted with an inflatable bag.

The bags are disposable and are only to be used once. Flexitanks

can come in a range of sizes the largest can hold a maximum of

24,000 litres.

Flexitanks

• Low oxygen migration.

• Protects against organic materials.

that can taint wines.

• Range of sizes.

• Cheaper to operate over ISO

tanks.

• Flexitanks can be damaged easier.

• Disposable plastic bags.

ISO tanks

• Reusable.

• Can hold more than flexitanks.

• Stainless steel will not contaminate

the wine.

• Very robust

• It is cheaper to transport a flexi tank or ISO tank than it is to

transport a container of bottled wines.

• Damage to bottles and labels is reduced when the

product is filled closer to the destination point.

• The shelf life of the wine is extended when shipping as

unbottled bulk wine.

• By bottling at the point of arrival they have flexibility when

it comes to labelling.

• Oxidation• Re-fermentation• Contamination• Taints• Temperature

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http://www1.mpi-halle.mpg.de/~md_simul/data/special-data/wine-history.pdf

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Retrieved from

http://www.transoceanbulk.com/Uploads/CaseStudy/TOD_7_Case Study - The

benefits of importing wine in bulk.pdf

• Hartley, A. (2008, May). Bulk shipping of wine and its implications for product

quality. Retrieved from http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Bulk shipping

& wine quality Ma'y08.pdf

• T, G. (2009, October 5). A history of wine. Retrieved from

http://www.snooth.com/articles/a-history-of-wine/

• T, G. (2009, November 2). The history of wine part 2 - wine storage - the early

days. Retrieved from http://www.snooth.com/articles/the-history-of-wine-part-

ii-wine-storage-the-early-days/?viewall=1

• T, G. (2009, November 9). The history of wine part 3 - wine storage - barrels.

Retrieved from http://www.snooth.com/articles/the-history-of-wine-part-ii-

wine-storage-barrels/