Ullage

/UL-ij/

The air space between wine and cork in a bottle.

Full Definition

Ullage is the fill level or air space in a bottle - the gap between wine surface and cork. Excessive ullage indicates evaporation or leakage, often from dried corks or poor storage. Fill levels decline naturally with age. High ullage (below shoulder) in older bottles suggests greater oxidation risk and reduced value.

See Also