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Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, or "Vinny" for short. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the technical aspects of winemaking to the fine points of etiquette. I hope you find my answers educational and even amusing. Want to see more of them? Check out my archive. And here are my most Frequently Asked Questions.
Dear Dr. Vinny,
What is the term for the gap in the bottle of wine from the top to the neck—the empty space?
—Vinod P., India
Dear Vinod,
That space is called "ullage" (pronounced "UH-lij"). Ullage refers to the unfilled space in any container of liquid, whether it's the unfilled air space at the top of a bottle of wine or the space within a fuel tank in a liquid rocket. Ullage allows for the expansion of the liquid as temperature changes, just in case it needs it.
Normal ullage for a young wine is quite small; the liquid should come up into the neck of the bottle. If there is more ullage, the wine's quality may be compromised. An older wine may have more ullage and still be fine.
—Dr. Vinny
Do you have a question for me? Fire away!
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