The bottling line is composed of as many stations as there are control points, if not more. The sequence is as follows: rinsing, filling, corking, conveying and accumulation table. In the case of in-house bottling, the control systems make it possible to check the proper functioning of the bottling line and to ensure its maintenance.
The bottles must comply with standards of suitability for food use, which means that they must be clean during filling. Rinsing can also, in some cases, enable the removal of dust, glass debris or condensation that may have accumulated during palletization and/or storage.
Effective cleaning is mainly achieved by:
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Water quality: this is essential for appropriate cleaning without the risk of contamination of the bottle or loss of stability of the wine. The water must be sterile, of drinking quality, filtered and may also need to be softened. Regular quality controls with regard to the rinsing water should be undertaken, as well as for the water filtration and sterilization systems.
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Drainage quality: bottle drainage time after rinsing must be sufficient to ensure almost all the rinse residue is removed. A duration of several seconds (about 10) allows a maximum amount of rinse water to be drained. The volume of residual rinse water is not considered to affect the wine when it is between 2 and 2.5 mL for a 750 mL bottle. Checks on draining time and residual volume should be carried out regularly.
