This episode picks up at the point of commitment: packaging. Once wine is sealed, there are almost no second chances — so oxygen management, closure choice, hygiene, and quality systems become part of wine quality itself.
We cover finishing checks and last-minute adjustments (SO₂ targets by style, sparging to reduce dissolved oxygen, the role of CO₂), then the key bottling risks and classic faults linked to process failures (oxidation, reduction, re-fermentation, cork taint, light strike, volatile acidity, Brett).
From there, we unpack packaging formats and what they’re really for: glass versus PET, bag-in-box, brick, pouch, and cans — including shelf-life implications and why oxygen control matters differently in each. We then compare closures through both a technical and market lens: natural cork, technical corks, synthetics, screwcap liners and reduction risk, and glass stoppers.
Finally, we close with quality control and quality assurance systems (hygiene protocols, HACCP, ISO auditing, traceability and lot numbers), and the business logic of bulk versus bottled transport, including flexitanks and ISO tanks.
This is the chapter that connects winemaking to the real world: stability, shelf life, brand trust, and how wine survives the journey to the drinker.
