Individual TCA Analysis: The Zero Protocol
TCA — 2,4,6-trichloroanisole — is the primary compound responsible for cork taint in wine. It is colorless, odorless in the bottle, and capable of ruining a wine at concentrations as low as 1.5 to 3 nanograms per liter. And once the cork is in place, there is no solution.
At Parramon Exportap, we don’t rely on sampling. We don’t test by batch. We analyze every single cork individually.
What Is the Zero Protocol?
Our Zero Protocol individually examines every cork we produce using two VOCUS Cork Analyzers, among the most advanced mass spectrometry systems currently available for cork analysis. Analysis time: less than two seconds per cork. Detection threshold: below the threshold of human sensory perception. If a cork does not pass the analysis, it does not leave our facility. No exceptions. That is our guarantee.
How Our Cork-by-Cork TCA Analysis Works
When a cork enters the VOCUS Cork Analyzer, the system quantifies the presence of TCA and other haloanisoles in less than two seconds, detecting concentrations that the human nose cannot perceive.
The system then automatically classifies each cork based on the levels detected, separating those that meet our standards from those that do not. This individual testing process — rather than batch sampling — is what ensures that no wine bottled with our corks develops undesirable cork taint.
Our two VOCUS units process more than 60,000 corks per day. Their efficiency and accuracy are supported by peer-reviewed scientific research demonstrating their advantages over other TCA measurement methods.
Technical Specifications of Our Analysis
- Technology: VOCUS Cork Analyzer (proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry)
- Equipment in operation: 2 units to ensure uninterrupted production flow
- Analysis speed: less than 2 seconds per cork
- Detection limit: sub-threshold, below the level of human olfactory perception
- Compounds analyzed: TCA and other haloanisoles (TeCA, PCA, and TBA)
- Testing scope: 100% individual analysis of every cork, with no sampling and no exceptions
- Result: every cork receives a pass/fail classification before final packaging
Why Individual Analysis Makes the Difference
Most manufacturers test for TCA through sampling: they analyze a fraction of a batch and extrapolate the results to the rest. It is a statistical method, not a guarantee. An otherwise “acceptable” batch can still contain defective corks that were never tested.
Individual analysis eliminates that uncertainty. Every cork that leaves Parramon Exportap has been tested — not estimated.
For a winery bottling an age-worthy wine — one that may spend years in the bottle before it is opened — the difference between “probably fine” and “verified” is everything.
Frequently Asked Questions About TCA Analysis
1. What is TCA, and why is it a problem?
TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole) is the compound responsible for what is commonly known as “cork taint.” It can be detected by the human palate at extremely low concentrations — as little as 1.5 to 3 nanograms per liter — and can irreversibly alter the wine’s aroma and flavor. Once the wine has been bottled, there is no way to correct it.
2. What is the difference between individual and batch testing?
Batch testing examines a representative sample and extrapolates the results to the rest of the production. Individual testing, as used in our Zero Protocol, examines 100% of the corks, one by one. It is the only way to ensure that a defective cork does not make it into the bottle.
3. What is the VOCUS Cork Analyzer?
The VOCUS Cork Analyzer is a proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry system capable of quantifying TCA and other haloanisoles in less than two seconds per cork. It is one of the most advanced TCA detection technologies currently available.
4. What level of TCA can it detect?
It can detect levels below the threshold of human olfactory perception. If a person would not be able to detect it in the glass, our system can still detect it before the cork leaves our facility.
5. Do you test every cork, or only natural corks?
We apply the Zero Protocol individually across our production, with no sampling and no exceptions. Every cork receives a pass/fail classification before final packaging.
6. What happens to corks that do not pass the analysis?
They do not leave our facility. Any cork that fails the Zero Protocol is removed from the production flow and discarded. No exceptions.
