Wine Transportation and Storage

Climate control during transportation and storage is essential to maintain the quality of the wine.

Cape Verde Imports prides itself in taking every precaution necessary for the preservation of the wine quality, by transporting the wine in climate-controlled containers. CVI strictly adhere to the following guidelines on transporting and storing wine, as suggested by wine experts. Consequently, we are able to guarantee the quality of the delivered product

1. Wine should be transported between 12-18 degrees Celsius: Maintaining the proper temperature is the most critical factor in wine transportation. Excessive heat can cause the wine to expand and spoil the wine. It can also dry the outside of the cork, allowing air to leak inside the wine bottle. This exposure to oxygen causes immediate aging, and can leave your wine tasting like vinegar.
2. The wine's temperature should not fluctuate more than 5 degrees: Acceptable fluctuation for wine is about 5 degrees. As wine heats up and expands, and then cools and contracts, it draws air into the bottle. Wine bottles that have undergone repeated temperature cycling tend to lose their freshness and may even taste of vinegar.
3. The relative humidity level should be between 50 and 80 percent in transit: Excessive humidity causes the cork to dry out and shrink, loosening the cork and bringing the air closer to the wine. Wine that is exposed to relative humidity levels over 80 percent for long periods of time can develop severe mildew.

Screw Cap Closures

Over the past few years there has been a intentional move towards the use of screw cap closures for wine, particularly quality wines. CVI, as a modern innovative company, supports this initiative and considers that screw caps will help to ensure the quality of the wine during transportation. Where possible we source our wines with screw caps.

Issues With Corks

Cork is a natural product and so quality can be unpredictable. It is possible for the cork to become contaminated. This spoils the wine by producing musty, rather mouldy characteristics. This is caused by TCA, a chemical component that produces undesirable aroma and flavour characteristics. Sometimes the wine will be markedly musty. However, often the taint is minor and has the more subtle effect of flattening the freshness and fruitiness of the wine. This is commonly termed as Corked Wine. Estimates, for the incidence of 'corked' wines, range from around one in eight bottles to one in 20.

Another issue is the efficacy and finality of the closure provided by corks. Corks are variable in size and consistency. Some produce a perfect closure that is as effective as a screw cap. Others are not tight enough and allow too much oxygen to enter. This causes oxidation, which is a far greater spoiler of wine than TCA.

Advantages of Screw Cap Closures

Research indicates that screw caps can be a better closure for wine. They can provide secure seals that don't allow leakage. More importantly, screw caps can provide a reliable and effective seal against air and thus prevent the dreaded oxidation. Proper use of screw caps can ensure the wine stays fresh and lively for longer.

Screw caps eliminate the problems of cork taint that results from a contaminated cork. With the proper use of screw caps, winemakers have some guarantee that the quality of the wine served to the customer is exactly as it was when they put it in the bottle.