TAVA amphorae with controlled oxygen permeability: the importance of processing technique

Fabrizio Minute, GiottoConsulting Srl

Amphorae for oenological use are assuming an increasingly important role in wineries all over the world for the production of high quality wines, even in regions traditionally linked to the use of wood during aging. The main motivation can be traced back to the desire on the part of many producers to enhance the identity characteristics of their wines through the use of oxygen-permeable wine vessels characterized by a greater aromatic neutrality, seeking fruity notes at the expense of the characteristic hints of “boisé” attributable to the use of wood.

Despite the ancient origin of such wine vessels, the scientific literature on the oxygen permeability of amphorae is still limited. For this reason, an experiment aimed at studying the oxygen permeability of TAVA amphorae has been carried out in recent years, trying to understand in depth the influence of the processing technique on the porosity and thus oxygen permeability characteristics.

The results obtained show that the raw materials used and the temperature gradient applied during firing have a very pronounced effect on the porosity of ceramic materials and thus on their oxygen permeability (as well as on their chemical inertness characteristics), with OTR (Oxygen Transmission Rate) values ranging from a minimum of 0.6 mg/L∙year to a maximum of 91.05 mg/L∙year (under the experimental conditions adopted).

Knowing the oxygen permeability values therefore represents a fundamental aspect to consciously select the amphora best suited to the set oenological objectives and avoid undesirable evolutions of one’s wines during storage/aging

Trials comparing vinification in TAVA amphora and in steel.

Prof. Simone Vincenzi, University of Padua, DAFNAE Department.

The use of amphorae in winemaking is a technique that dates back to ancient times, and which had then been abandoned replaced by the use of more resistant and easy-to-sanitize materials. Lately this technique has been rediscovered, and is becoming increasingly popular in the wine world, but there are not many studies that have analyzed in detail and from a chemical point of view the effect of this type of wine vessel. The material used for fermentation and maturation of the wine certainly has an impact on the composition of the wine, considering both the possible release of minerals by the material and the different porosity, which in turn can affect the micro-oxygenation of the product.

In this experiment conducted in the 2022 vintage, two grape varieties were used, one white and one black, specifically Chardonnay and Merlot. The grapes were vinified in parallel, using the exact same procedures, in both 320-liter amphorae and 300-liter steel vats.

The vinifications were monitored throughout the fermentation and maceration period (2 months) by both quantitative (Folin Ciocalteau) and qualitative (Easy ox, HPLC) polyphenol analysis, then pressing was performed and the wines were bottled to be monitored by sensory analysis for at least one year.

The analyses performed confirmed that already in the fermentation and maceration stages, the container affects some chemical parameters of the wine and also some organoleptic aspects, especially astringency. The use of TAVA amphorae also demonstrated an absence of mineral transfer to the wine.