Maintenance of Bottling Equipment
Proper maintenance of bottling equipment is essential for optimal stopper performance and wine longevity. This includes:
- Keeping stopper feeder channels and machine mechanisms clean.
- Ensuring piston alignment and the centralizing cone's maintenance.
- Regularly checking compression jaws for wear, which can cause stopper grooves leading to wine leakage or air infiltration.
- Ensuring smooth operation of the bottling machine, particularly during stopper compression and insertion.
- Using chlorine-free products to clean all surfaces where the cork stopper passes.
- Sanitizing the machine before bottling, using a hot metabisulfite solution followed by drying.