wein.plus
Attention
You are using an old browser that may not function as expected.
For a better, safer browsing experience, please upgrade your browser.

Log in Become a Member

Bottle pressure

This is mainly produced in sparkling wines (sparkling wine, champagne) by the carbon dioxide and is a quality characteristic for these to the prescribed extent; see there.

KohlendioxidIncombustible, colourless and odourless, acid gas (also carbon dioxide) with the molecular formula CO2. Colloquially, carbon dioxide is very often incorrectly referred to as carbonic acid. In solid form as dry ice, it is used as a coolant. The gas is produced during all combustion processes and also during the respiration of animal and human beings. It also occurs in volcanic rocks and at great depths.

In the atmosphere, carbon dioxide makes up only a tiny fraction of 0.039%, but this tiny amount is indispensable for all life, because it is needed by plants during photosynthesis and oxygen is formed in the process. Since industrialisation, the proportion has increased by around 44% in connection with climate change and the associated greenhouse effect. The proportion is greater in the northern hemisphere (due to the larger land mass). The resulting extreme weather conditions with heat waves also have a negative impact on viticulture (see under decarbonisation).

Kohlendioxid - Trockeneis und Graphik

Carbon dioxide content

Carbon dioxide dissolves in liquids as well as in wine depending on pressure and temperature. When it dissolves, carbonic acid is also formed by reaction with water in the smallest amount of only 0.2%. By far the largest part, however, with over 99%, is the carbon dioxide dissolved in the wine (which does not yet produce carbonic acid), which is combined with the actual carbonic acid as "free carbonic acid". As the vine grows, the sugar in the grapes is formed from carbon dioxide and water. During fermentation, the sugar is then converted into carbon dioxide and alcohol.

At 1.98 g/l, carbon dioxide is about 1.5 times heavier than air. Therefore, there is a danger of suffocation in the fermentation cellar if...

Voices of our members

Hans-Georg Schwarz

As honorary chairman of the Domäne Wachau, it is the easiest and quickest way for me to access the wein.plus encyclopaedia when I have questions. The certainty of receiving well-founded and up-to-date information here makes it an indispensable guide.

Hans-Georg Schwarz
Ehrenobmann der Domäne Wachau (Wachau)

The world's largest Lexicon of wine terms.

26,379 Keywords · 46,984 Synonyms · 5,323 Translations · 31,713 Pronunciations · 202,114 Cross-references
made with by our author Norbert F. J. Tischelmayer. About the Lexicon

EVENTS NEAR YOU

PREMIUM PARTNERS