Technical Field Relating to the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a wine transport and storage box for transporting
and storing wine while putrefaction of the wine is suppressed.
Description of Related Art
[0002] Transport boxes used for transporting wine include the one described in Patent Document
1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
2003-128049). This transport box can transport fragile items such as wine safely and easily by
packing the item with a packaging box thereof. The transport box is made of cardboard
and packs the item by wrapping the whole so that a head part of the bottle protrudes
upward. There are other various transport boxes.
[0003] However, a quality of wine cannot be maintained easily by these kinds of transport
boxes.
[0004] In the past, wines imported from foreign countries such as France were added with
sulfur dioxide (SO
2). This type of wine was the same as those distributed in France and the like. That
is, wines distributed in France and the like were imported as they were.
[0005] However, while the wine production regions such as France have continental climate
with low humidity, Japan has a climate of high temperature and high humidity. Thus,
many putrefactive bacteria not living in France and the like are considered to be
present in Japan. Therefore, if such wine is imported, the putrefactive bacteria are
considered to intrude between a cork and a bottle as soon as the wine arrives in Japan
and to alter the quality of the wine.
[0006] At the earliest, a considerable quantity of putrefactive bacteria is considered to
intrude into the wine in approximately one week after arrival in Japan. And in approximately
one month, the alteration of the wine becomes intense, and aroma and tastes become
obviously different from those of the original in some cases. Such wines become unsuitable
for drinking in three to six months. The color turns to so-called terra-cotta color
(the color similar to that of soy sauce) and the tastes change to dull flavor and
taste as if soy sauce is mixed.
[0007] Such wine might cause headaches on the following day or give feelings of sluggishness
or discomfort even after drinking a quantity of 1/3 to 1/2 of a bottle.
[0008] However, some wine academies teaching various types of knowledge on wine and sommeliers
understand this change as maturation to a good state due to lack of knowledge on wine.
[0009] The present applicant has announced this situation on the homepage or the like, but
in recent years, indication on the back of a wine bottle has changed from sulfur dioxide
to sulfite. Corks of some wines imported and sold in a large quantity at convenience
stores and the like have changed to screw caps into which microorganisms can intrude
more easily, and sulfite is added because of that. Of course, wines added with sulfur
dioxide as before are still distributed in France and other European countries at
present, but wines added with sulfite are on the increase.
[0010] However, addition of sulfite to food products is not preferable since sulfite is
toxic if taken in a large quantity and is considered to have even mutagenicity.
[0011] When the sulfite began to be added to wine as an additive, the sulfite was poured
into the bottle by using a syringe at shipment of the wine matured in the bottle.
In this case, the wine still had characteristic aroma and tastes of the respective
production areas.
[0012] However, at present, sulfite is considered to be added to wine at time of bottling.
Since sulfite has strong toxicity, if it is added to wine, microorganism groups contributing
to maturation of wine are considered to become extinct or to be brought into the state
close to that. Therefore, fermentation and maturation of wine are considered to stop
at the time when sulfite is added to the wine.
[0013] Thus, distasteful bitterness, unnatural acidity as if piercing the tongue, dull and
extremely uncomfortable tastes occur in the wine, and there is almost no aroma.
[0014] Contents of sulfite are different depending on the type of wine or bottles, but by
drinking 1/3 of the bottle at the most to approximately 1/2 at the least, a discomfort
feeling both in body and mind different from a hangover due to alcohol might be caused
on the following day or the day following that. Moreover, headaches, slowness of thoughts
and body movement and the like might also occur.
[0015] Therefore, it is preferable that wines not containing additives such as sulfite and
the like are imported and distributed in the Japanese market.
[0016] However, the quality of additive-free wine not containing an antioxidant or the like
alters due to putrefactive bacteria living in Japan as described above.
[0017] Thus, a wine transport and storage box that can transport and store wine while preventing
intrusion of putrefactive bacteria into wine is desired.
[0018] The present invention was made in view of the above problems and has an object to
provide a wine transport and storage box which can transport and store wine while
suppressing putrefaction thereof.
Solution to problem
[0019] A wine transport and storage box according to the present invention is a wine transport
and storage box which transports and stores wine while maintaining a favorable state
and includes a housing for accommodating one or a plurality of wine bottles, sealing
means for accommodating and sealing the wine bottle therein while suppressing intrusion
of putrefactive bacteria, a buffer material for protecting the wine bottle accommodated
in the housing, and a cave environment enclosed space enclosing an environment in
a cave in which the wine is stored.
[0020] The buffer material is characterized by more faithful realization of the environment
in the cave in the cave environment enclosed space by creating an environment in which
yeasts and microorganisms specific to the cave in which the wine to be transported
is stored can easily live. The sealing means is characterized by a sealing film containing
the wine bottle therein and accommodated in the housing or a sealing structure given
to the housing itself.
[0021] By using the above configuration, wine can be transported and stored while putrefaction
is suppressed.
Fig. 1 is a side sectional view illustrating a wine transport and storage box of the
present invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the wine transport and storage box of the
present invention.
[0022] A wine transport and storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention
will be described by referring to the attached drawings. The wine transport and storage
box according to the present invention was realized by speculations of the applicant
repeated through many years. The details will be described below.
First Embodiment
[0023] For over ten years, the applicant has been in search of a storage place or a storage
method which can keep wine added only with sulfur dioxide (SO
2), or for example French wine, in a favorable state. The applicant actually stored
wine in wine warehouses of three companies with different storage conditions, a mine
of Oya tuff stone in Tochigi Prefecture and the like but all the attempts failed.
[0024] As a result, the applicant has reached a conclusion that putrefactive bacteria which
alter the quality of wine are present everywhere in Japan and the intrusion of the
putrefactive bacteria cannot be avoided unless a special measure for suppressing the
intrusion of the putrefactive bacteria is taken.
[0025] Thus, the applicant thought of creating an environment in which zero or little putrefactive
bacteria are present around wine as a special measure to suppress intrusion of the
putrefactive bacteria. As a device for artificially creating such an environment,
the applicant proposed a wine cellar (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
2004-347233), first. Specifically, the applicant proposed a wine cellar in which air sterilized
by ultraviolet rays is circulated in a device.
[0026] After the wine imported with sufficient care against intrusion of the putrefactive
bacteria was stored in this wine cellar for 6 years, the applicant tasted the wine
with wine lovers, sommeliers, restaurant chefs and the like and found out that the
state of the wine was extremely favorable. About 9 types of wine all tasted good,
had strong aroma and rich taste with characteristics of the respective production
areas retained sufficiently. All the members who tasted the wine gave compliments
and no one complained of a headache or a hangover caused by additives. Seven members
drank up ten bottles of wine with no discomfort on the following day. Thus, the tasters
requested that such wine should be distributed to the public and should be easily
obtainable as soon as possible.
[0027] From this fact, too, it is known that creation of an environment where zero or little
putrefactive bacteria are present around wine is most desirable.
[0028] However, since it is believed that wine should be stored for a long time for maturation,
wine cellars have been devised in many ways in general but no one has paid attention
to a distribution process of wine. If putrefactive bacteria intrude in the distribution
process of wine, the above-described wine cellar cannot be fully utilized.
[0029] According to experiences of the applicant, when imported wine was not accommodated
in the above-described wine cellar within one week after arrival in Japan, microorganisms
intruded into the wine, and alteration progressed even in the above-described wine
cellar. A difference began to be found in taste, aroma and the like between the wine
accommodated in the above-described wine cellar within one week and the wine accommodated
in the above-described wine cellar after one week has passed around the second year
after storage.
[0030] From this fact, it is known that the imported wine is preferably stored in an environment
where zero or little putrefactive bacteria are present such as the above-described
wine cellar at an early stage after arrival in Japan.
[0031] However, it is not possible to accommodate all the large quantity of wines imported
to Japan in the above-described wine cellars and the like at an early stage (within
one week).
[0032] A device such as the above-described wine cellar cannot be made too big in size.
A device which can accommodate 500 wine bottles could be made at the most.
[0033] Moreover, imported wine needs to rest for at least approximately six months after
arrival in Japan. Wine imported by ship for one month or more, for example, should
rest for approximately six months to recover from alteration caused by rocking of
the ship. Thus, it is difficult for the wine having arrived in Japan to be sold or
stored in the above-described wine cellar at an early stage.
[0034] Therefore, a device which prevents putrefactive bacteria from intruding into wine
during transportation, temporary storage or long-term storage of wine is required.
[0035] Since it was demonstrated through the experiences of the above-described wine cellar
that wine can be kept in a favorable state by preventing intrusion of putrefactive
bacteria from the outside, a wine transport and storage box was improved so as to
prevent intrusion of putrefactive bacteria. Specifically, a wine transport and storage
box was conceived in which the bottle of wine is wrapped and sealed by a film or the
like which does not permeate air or microorganisms. This wine transport and storage
box will be described on the basis of Fig. 1.
[0036] The wine transport and storage box 1 in Fig. 1 includes a housing 2, a sealing film
3, and a buffer material 4.
[0037] The housing 2 is a box for accommodating a wine bottle 5. A general cardboard box
or the like can be used. After the wine bottles 5 are accommodated in this housing
2, a lid is placed. An inside dimension of the housing 2 is set in accordance with
the number of bottles 5 to be accommodated. Specifically, the inside dimension of
the housing 2 is the total dimension of a dimension of the bottle 5 to be accommodated
(if accommodated in plural, the total dimension of the accommodated bottles) and a
cave environment enclosed space 6, which will be described later.
[0038] In this embodiment, in order to accommodate three wine bottles 5, a height dimension
of the housing 2 is a sum of a diameter of the bottle 5 and a thickness of the buffer
material 4 arranged on top and bottom × 2. A longitudinal dimension of the housing
2 is the height dimension of the bottle 5. A lateral dimension of the housing 2 is
a sum of the diameter of the bottle 5 × 3, the dimension of the cave environment enclosed
space 6, and a play.
[0039] The sealing film 3 is sealing means in which the wine bottle 5 is contained and sealed
so as to suppress intrusion of putrefactive bacteria. Specifically, the sealing film
3 is a bag-shaped film accommodated in the housing 2, in which three wine bottles
5 are contained. A dimension of the sealing film 3 is set in accordance with the inside
dimension of the housing 2. That is, the height dimension of the sealing film 3 is
set to a sum of the diameter of the bottle 5 and the thickness of the buffer material
4 arranged on top and bottom × 2. A longitudinal dimension of the sealing film 3 is
set to the height dimension of the bottle 5. A lateral dimension of the sealing film
3 is set to a sum of diameter of the bottle 5 × 3 and the dimension of the cave environment
enclosed space 6. Since it is only necessary that the sealing film 3 is accommodated
in the housing 2 in a state where the three wine bottles 5 and two buffer materials
4 are contained inside and the cave environment enclosed space 6 is ensured, a dimension
larger than the inside dimension of the housing 2 may be set for the sealing film
3.
[0040] The sealing film 3 may be bonded to the inside of the housing 2. As long as the inside
of the housing 2 can be sealed, the housing 2 itself may be given the function of
the sealing film 3. In this case, the inside of the housing 2 is sealed only by placing
the lid so as to shut off air.
[0041] Moreover, the sealing film 3 may shut off everything including air or shut off only
microorganisms. It is only necessary that yeasts and microorganisms specific to the
cave are taken in, intrusion of putrefactive bacteria and the like can be prevented,
and oxygen in a sufficient quantity with which the yeasts and the like can actively
serve can be supplied. If a film for suppressing the intrusion of putrefactive bacteria
and allowing passage of oxygen is used, the capacity of the cave environment enclosed
space 6, which will be described later, does not have to be so big.
[0042] Moreover, in the case of the sealing film 3 of a heating and sealing type, it is
preferable that the material thereof does not generate gas when heated. If the material
generates gas, it might affect the environment in the sealing film 3 or the environment
in the cave.
[0043] The buffer material 4 is a member for protecting the three wine bottles 5 accommodated
in the housing 2. This buffer material 4 is disposed each on an upper side face and
a lower side face of the three juxtaposed bottles 5 so as to protect the bottles 5
from impact. The buffer material 4 is formed of an elastic material sheet having a
size that covers the entirety of the three juxtaposed bottles 5. For the material
of the buffer material 4, an existing material can be used.
[0044] The cave environment enclosed space 6 is a space for enclosing the environment in
the cave containing air in the cave where the wine is stored. The cave environment
enclosed space 6 is provided in the sealing film 3 by allowing for the dimension of
the sealing film 3. When the wine bottles 5 are inserted into the sealing film 3,
the air in the cave where the wine is stored is enclosed with the wine bottles 5 in
the sealing film 3 by this cave environment enclosed space 6. This is for creating
an environment equal to the environment of a storage place of the production area
of the wine. In this embodiment, the cave environment enclosed space 6 is provided
between the both sides of the three juxtaposed wine bottles 5 and the housing 2.
[0045] In the cave where the wine is stored, yeasts and microorganisms specific to the cave
are living and playing an essential and decisive role for fermentation and maturation
of the wine. This is a phenomenon found also in Japan. In a soy sauce cellar, for
example, yeasts of the cellar having lived for a hundred years or more in the cellar
determine the taste of the soy sauce. Similarly to this, wine of each brand creates
its own flavor not only by the type of grape but also by a joint work with the microorganisms
in the cave.
[0046] Therefore, the best way to store wine in the best condition is to store the wine
in the cave where it is stored. And if this is not possible due to transportation
or the like, reproduction of the inside of the cave where the wine was stored is considered
to be most preferable during the transportation or the like. Thus, the applicant considered
it most preferable to seal the yeasts and microorganisms specific to the cave with
the air in the cave in a sealed container and to accommodate the wine bottles 5 therein.
[0047] In this case, considering that wine maturation progresses even during the transportation
or the like, a given amount of oxygen is required for favorable fermentation and maturation.
In order to specify the optimal amount of oxygen (air amount), the applicant examined
documents and conducted experiments.
[0048] According to one theory, yeasts survive in the air of approximately several centimeters
in the bottle 5, but this is not sufficient for favorable fermentation and maturation.
[0049] The applicant has tasted non-additive wine (non-additive wine to which even SO
2 is not added) sealed in the bottle 5 whose mouth is waxed. In this non-additive wine,
3 to 4 cm from the mouth of the bottle 5 is waxed so as to prevent microorganisms
from intruding and to prevent inflow of outside air into the bottle 5.
[0050] However, favorable fermentation and maturation did not progress in this non-additive
wine and it tasted like diluted grape juice. This is considered to be because actions
of the yeasts stopped due to lack of oxygen and maturation did not progress.
[0051] Moreover, the applicant has tasted wine stored under the sea for five years in a
case so as not to be immersed in sea water. This was intended for further purified
taste. However, this wine tasted only slightly better than the above-described non-additive
wine. There was a change as wine but far insufficient and a feeling of grape juice
still remained and attractive taste inherent in wine could not be tasted. That is,
multiply deep and long aroma and taste which are attractive features of wine were
not present at all and it gave an impression of flat wine. This is also considered
to be because oxygen was insufficient and the actions of yeasts became dull similarly
to the above.
[0052] In these cases, a relationship between the actions of the yeasts and oxygen was not
much considered, but it is known from these cases that a certain amount of oxygen
is required to keep the actions of the yeasts favorable. If distribution of air is
shut off by the film, oxygen is also shut off, thus the amount of oxygen that can
keep the actions of the yeasts favorable is required.
[0053] This oxygen amount is varied depending on a period during which the wine is stored.
Moreover, the amount is varied depending on various conditions such as the type of
yeasts different at each cave, a quantity of yeasts required for maturation of wine
and the like, but this oxygen amount can be specified by experiments. Specifically,
the amount is varied depending on the period for storage (maturation through storage
for 2 to 3 years or maturation through storage for 5 years, for example), the type
of yeasts, an amount of yeasts living in the wine bottle 5 and the like. Therefore,
a plurality of capacities is set for the cave environment enclosed space 6 in which
the air in the cave where the wine is stored is enclosed, and actions of the yeasts
are examined for each wine that is transported. The state of wine is checked every
year, the state of the yeasts is examined, and the air amount in the cave required
for storage for a period (2 to 3 years, 5 years) is calculated. As a result, a capacity
L with which the actions of the yeasts are kept favorable till the end of the storage
period is set as the cave environment enclosed space 6 of the wine transport and storage
box 1 of that wine. Since the capacity of the cave environment enclosed space 6 is
determined by the inside dimension of the housing 2, the dimension of the sealing
film 3 (cave environment enclosed space 6) may be set larger than the inside dimension
of the housing 2. For example, supposing that the height dimension of the inside of
the housing 2 (diameter of the bottle 5) is h and the longitudinal dimension of the
housing 2 (longitudinal dimension of the bottle 5) is j, L = h × j × x. Thus, the
height dimension, the longitudinal dimension, and the lateral dimension of the cave
environment enclosed space 6 are h, j, and x (= L/h × j), respectively. If the cave
environment enclosed space 6 is provided on the both sides of the bottle 5, the lateral
dimension is x/2 (= L/h × j × 2). If the cave environment enclosed space 6 is provided
only on one side, it is x. If the sealing film 3 permeate oxygen, the dimension should
be set such that a space required for keeping the environment in the cave (environment
of the microorganisms and the like living in the cave) can be ensured so that the
yeasts and the like in the wine can act favorably.
[0054] In the wine transport and storage box 1 configured as above, the three wine bottles
5 are first inserted into the sealing film 3 together with the buffer material 4 in
the cave where the wine is stored. This sealing film 3 is then inserted into the housing
2. The order of insertion can be vice versa such that, after the sealing film 3 is
inserted into the housing 2, the buffer material 4 and the three wine bottles 5 are
inserted, then, another buffer material 4 is inserted and the sealing film 3 are sealed
or it may be such that the buffer material 4 and the bottles 5 are first inserted
into the sealing film 3 before this sealing film 3 is inserted into the housing 2.
As a result, the air in the cave can be taken in with the yeasts and microorganisms
specific to the cave into the cave environment enclosed space 6 so as to reproduce
the environment in the cave. Heat, an adhesive or the like is used for the sealing
process. If the film is melted by heat for sealing, the process is preferably performed
outside the cave since heat is generated.
[0055] The lower buffer material 4 as a cushion is located on the bottom of the housing
2, the three wine bottles 5 are located above it, and the buffer material 4 as a cushion
is further stacked above the bottles 5 so as to reach the height of the housing 2.
As a result, there is little play inside the housing 2, and the bottles 5 are reliably
supported. The bottles 5 do not vibrate and the bottles 5 support the housing 2 through
the buffer materials 4 so that the housing 2 is prevented from being crushed. The
lid is placed in this state, and the box is imported to Japan.
[0056] After the wine is transported to Japan by using the wine transport and storage box
1, the wine is stored in a stable place at a temperature of approximately 10°C as
soon as possible. The wine is stored in the above-described wine cellar if possible
so that the wine can be stored in a favorable state for a considerable period.
[0057] Since wine can change in accordance with a change in a temperature though the degree
of the change is varied, it is preferably transported by a reefer container kept approximately
at 10°C and also stored approximately at 10°C after arrival in Japan.
[0058] Even if the temperature is kept constant, wine will be altered if putrefactive bacteria
intrude into the bottle 5. Even in the reefer container, wine had been already altered
when it arrived in Japan in the case of consolidated cargo, but this would not happen
if the wine is transported by using the wine transport and storage box 1 of the present
invention.
[0059] However, even in the case of wine stored as above, once the sealing film 3 is opened
and the wine is exposed to the outside air, the wine starts altering in approximately
one month. Thus, by transferring the wine into the above-described wine cellar after
the seal is opened, the wine can be kept in a favorable state.
[0060] As described above, the quality of wine can be kept favorable. By using the above-described
wine cellar along with the wine transport and storage box 1 of the present invention,
tasty wine equal to those drunk in France and not added with sulfite can be supplied
in a large quantity to Japan.
Second Embodiment
[0061] In this embodiment, the buffer material 4 in the above-described first embodiment
is improved.
[0062] In the above-described first embodiment, the buffer material 4 is used as a buffer
member for protecting the wine bottle 5 from impact, but in addition to this function
as the buffer member, the buffer material may be given a function of protecting the
environment in the cave environment enclosed space 6. Specifically, in order to reproduce
the environment in the cave where the wine is stored more faithfully, the environment
in which the yeasts and microorganisms specific to the cave can easily live is made
reproducible with the buffer material 4.
[0063] For example, the buffer material 4 is made of a material in which the yeasts and
the like can easily live (natural materials such as wood debris and woodchips, porous
materials and the like, for example) and stored in a cave for a certain period so
that the yeasts and microorganisms specific to the cave actually live therein.
[0064] As a result, the environment substantially the same as the environment in the cave
where the wine had been stored can be created in the cave environment enclosed space
6, and a favorable maturation environment for wine can be kept even during transportation
using the wine transport and storage box 1.
Variation
[0065] In each of the above-described embodiments, the three wine bottles 5 are accommodated
in the housing 2, but the number of wine bottles to be accommodated may be 1, 2 or
4 or more. In this case, too, the same actions and effects as those in each of the
above-described embodiments can be exerted.
[0066] In the above-described second embodiment, the buffer material 4 is given the function
of protecting the environment in the cave environment enclosed space 6, but a member
having a size approximately of a small desiccant inserted into a bag containing food
and made of a material in which the yeasts and the like specific to the cave can easily
live may be inserted into the sealing film 3 with the bottle 5. Alternatively, rocks
constituting the ceiling or wall in the cave may be crushed to small pebbles and inserted
into the sealing film 3 with the bottle 5.
[0067] In this case, too, the same actions and effects as those in each of the above-described
embodiments can be exerted.
[0068] Moreover, in the above-described second embodiment, the yeasts and microorganisms
specific to the cave are made to live in the buffer material 4 so that the air in
the cave is enclosed in the cave environment enclosed space 6, but the volume of the
cave environment enclosed space 6 may be made smaller by placing an oxygen generating
agent (calcium peroxide agent) in the cave environment enclosed space 6 with this
buffer material 4 so as to increase oxygen concentration.
[0069] In this case, too, the same actions and effects as those in each of the above-described
embodiments can be exerted.
[0070] In each of the above-described embodiments, the sealing film 3 is used as the sealing
means, but it may be a sealing structure provided in the housing 2 itself. Airtightness
may be given to the housing 2 itself by means for increasing sealing performance or
the like by bonding the sealing film 3 to the inner wall of the housing 2, or by forming
the housing 2 using an impermeable plate material, a seal material or the like.
[0071] In this case, too, the same actions and effects as those in each of the above-described
embodiments can be exerted.