Characterization of New Traditional Materials for the Manufacture of Oenological Tanks and Effect on Red Wine Redox State During Aging

The aim of this study was to investigate the properties of materials used for tank manufacturing and to test their effect on a Sangiovese wine dissolved oxygen (DO), and redox potential (ORp) during aging in an industrial scale experiment. Uncoated (UC) and epoxy-coated concrete (EC) and raw earthenware (RE) were characterized for their morphology (scanning electronic microscopy), thickness, density, dry weight, water absorption, porosity, microtomography analysis, and oxygen transmission rate (OTR). The results of this characterization show that different materials have different microstructures and OTR values. EC material was impermeable to oxygen, and RE showed a lower OTR compared to UC, and a higher water absorption rate. The tank material’s oxygen permeability was reflected in the ORp and DO values of wines during the aging test. Wines that are aged in RE and UC showed an ORp and DO higher than those aged in EC and SS tanks.