Filling level

Füllniveau
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Name (even level) for the level of the liquid in a bottle of wine (although it of course, in barrels or other containers of wine is a filling level). The distance between the lower end of cork and the liquid level is ideally a millimeter to a maximum of one centimeter. Too much air (oxygen) causes undesirable oxidative processes and can Aging speed up the wine. Therefore, today in modern filling the gap with inert gas- filled. By a leaky or defective Cork it comes through Evaporation (Evaporation) for fluid loss and penetration of oxygen from the outside. The larger of these Loss and thus the amount of air, the more there is the danger of Oxidation . For longer storage bottle is absorbed with the use of natural cork (not plastic cork or other closure types) a small amount of wine through the cork, which can result in a reduction in the bottleneck of up to half a centimeter. Some producers such as Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (born since 1991) therefore use shorter corks.

With several bottles of the same wine and vintage, it is recommended to drink the bottle with the lowest filling level first. This is probably the most mature. For particularly old and valuable wines are made from wine merchants include information on the level of the bottles. This is a criterion for the purchase price discovery. With such valuable wines, depending on the filling level is about 20 to 25 years Neuverkorkung to consider. At Schlegel bottle or Burgundy bottle (long neck and slender shoulder) the filling level is described by the distance of the liquid level to the lower edge of the cork in centimeters. As well all distances are less than six centimeters, are critically distances of more than nine centimeters. In Bordeaux bottles (short neck and broad shoulders) is considered to be a problem if the fluid level up to the beginning of the shoulder, which means "high shoulder" sinks. This is the place where the neck begins to expand. The internationally accepted English name for Bordeaux bottles are:

high fill (hf) = No visible dehydration, state after bottling .

into neck Minor (in) or base-neck (bn) = fluid loss, and the mirror is inside the bottle neck. It is expected, no problem.

shoulder high (hs) or top shoulder (ts) = This level is obtained after about 20 years. The mirror is located at the beginning of the shoulder. Still no problem.

upper shoulder (us) or high mid Schoulder (hms) = This fluid loss results in about 30 years. The mirror is located between "high shoulder" and "mid shoulder". In young wines, this indicates a cork error. Here already there is a certain risk of oxidation.

mid shoulder (ms) = This fluid loss results in about 40 years. This is the location between the lower end of the bottle neck and the beginning of the bottle body. The mirror is located in the middle of the shoulder, where it begins again to pass into the vertical. There is a greater risk of oxidation. Often a distinction is made ​​in the lower mid shoulder (lms) and mid upper shoulder (killed).

low shoulder (ls) or bottom shoulder (bs) = The level is exactly at the lower end of the shoulder. There is a high risk of oxidation.

below shoulder (bs) or below bottom shoulder (bbs) = The level is already below the shoulder end. The wine is almost certainly unpalatable.