Vinventions presents an evolution of NOMACORC Pops—a closure developed for sparkling wines—by introducing two key innovations designed to manage oxygen levels after bottling: nitrogen-flushed packaging and a new formulation for the closure itself.

The goal is to intervene precisely when the wine is most sensitive to oxygen, limiting its ingress through the closure and thereby helping to preserve the freshness, aromatic expression, and sensory profile intended by the winemaker.

Reducing oxygen from the very first weeks

A key aspect of the evolution of NOMACORC Pops concerns desorption—the release of oxygen, initially contained within the closure, into the wine.

Studies by the Comité Champagne have shown that, in the case of a natural cork stopper, between 2.5 and 2.7 mg of oxygen can be released into the bottle during the first three months.

Following disgorgement, this influx can contribute to oxidative shock and influence the sensory evolution of the wine.

To mitigate this phenomenon, NOMACORC Pops are co-extruded in an inert gas atmosphere and subsequently packaged in nitrogen-flushed bags, remaining in this state until they are used on the bottling line.

In this way, the oxygen present within the closure is kept to a minimum, and desorption is virtually eliminated—significantly limiting the release of oxygen into the wine during the first few weeks after corking.

A new formulation for even more precise management

In addition to reduced desorption, there is a second development: a new formulation created by Vinventions’ R&D teams, designed to further improve the closure’s oxygen permeability over time.

NOMACORC Pops thus enables more precise management of oxygen ingress from the closure across two distinct stages: the initial period following bottling and the subsequent evolution of the wine.

“By controlling the oxygen supplied by the closure from the very first weeks after bottling, we offer producers the ability to even better preserve the freshness and aromatic expression of their wines”, explains Romain Thomas, Marketing & Sustainability Director at Vinventions.

Over twenty years of research into oxygen management

For over twenty years, oxygen management has been a core area of ​​Vinventions’ expertise.

In 2007, the company’s oenology team developed NomaSense O₂, a tool for measuring oxygen levels in wine as well as the permeability of closures. In 2011, Vinventions’ teams published a model describing the behavior of cylindrical closures—characterizing desorption and permeability as interrelated phenomena—and, that same year, launched the first cylindrical closure treated to limit desorption.

However, the closure is only one potential source of oxygen.

During bottling, oxygen dissolved in the wine and oxygen present in the headspace also contribute to the total oxygen content within the bottle.

It is precisely this comprehensive approach—measuring, understanding, and managing oxygen throughout the entire process—that defines Vinventions’ know-how.

“Desorption, permeability, dissolved oxygen, and headspace oxygen cannot be considered in isolation. This understanding has guided our work for many years, and today it allows us to tailor our solutions with great precision to the specific needs of different wine profiles”, explains Jean-Baptiste Diéval, Head of Application Development and the Certification Center at Vinventions.

The fundamentals of NOMACORC Pops remain unchanged

In addition to new solutions for oxygen management, NOMACORC Pops retains the key features that define its oenological and environmental performance: sensory neutrality, the absence of TCA, consistent performance from one closure to the next—thanks to co-extrusion technology—and the use of bio-based materials.

The structure of the closure also helps avoid issues typical of cork-based products, such as crumbling or the detachment of cork discs.

Furthermore, NOMACORC Pops offers a customizable design and is available with either a symmetrical or asymmetrical chamfer.

NOMACORC Pops will be a highlight at SIMEI 2026. From November 17 to 20, Vinventions will be meeting with producers, oenologists, and industry professionals at Fiera Milano—Hall 2, Stand A19 B20—where attendees can learn more about the new solutions developed for oxygen management in sparkling wines.