VEN124 Section V

Post-Fermentation Processing
Lecture 14:

Clarification and Filtration and the

Compositional Adjustment of Wine
Reading Assignment:

Text, Chapter 7 pages 289-307

The 5 Goals of Post-Fermentation
Operations:

1. Clarity
2. Compositional adjustment
3. Stability
4. Style
5. Packaging
The 5 Goals of Post-Fermentation
Operations:

1. CLARITY
Clarification

GOAL: to eliminate existing

cloudiness
Clarification Options
• Natural settling/racking
• Centrifugation
• Filtration
Natural Settling/Racking
• Decanting wine off of solids
• May add a settling aid to “tighten” lees
• Volume loss high
• Gentle process
Settling and Racking

Settled Lees Racking Valve

Centrifugation: Types
• Desludging
• Decanting
Centrifugation: Function
• Removal of particles using centrifugal
force
• Can be adjusted to remove larger or
smaller particles
Centrifugation: Problems
• Aeration
• Cost
– Modified atmosphere
– Low temperature
Filtration
• Types of filtration processes
• Kinds of filter units
Filtration Processes
• Sieve
• Adsorption
Sieve

Particles
larger than
pore size are
retained by
filter
Adsorption

Particles
adhere to
matrix
Adsorption and Sieving
Kinds of Filter Units
• Depth-bed
Depth-Bed Filtration
• Filter matrix mixed with wine
• Filter matrix builds as wine is filtered
through coated screen
• Constantly laying down new matrix with
wine
Depth-Bed Filtration Pre-coat

Wine
Screen
Wine + Matrix
Depth-Bed Filtration
• Diatomaceous earth; cellulose; perlite
• Cost effective
• Minimal clogging
• “Rough” filtration: sieving action is
minimal
• Principle of “torturous path” for particles
to travel
The “Torturous Path”
Kinds of Filter Units
• Depth-bed
• Pad
Pad Filtration
• Filter matrix is a preformed sheet or pad
• Sieving as well as adsorption
• Pads come in a variety of porosities, but
pore size is heterogeneous
• Flow of wine perpendicular to pad
• “Dead end” filtration
Pad Filtration

Filtered wine

Wine
Kinds of Filter Units
• Depth-bed
• Pad
• Membrane
Membrane Filtration
• Like pad filtration, but uses a membrane
• Fixed pore size
• Sieving as well as adsorption
• Clog easily
• “Finishing” filtration
Membrane Filtration

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Filtered Wine
Wine Membrane
Kinds of Filter Units
• Depth-bed
• Pad
• Membrane
• Cross-flow
Cross-Flow Filtration
• Same porosities as membrane filtration
• Wine flows across matrix, not through it
• Wine retentate can be re-circulated
• Back flux can be used to clear
membrane
• Does not clog that easily
Cross-Flow Filtration

Wine
Retentate

Filtered Wine
Order of Filtration:
Rough Before Finishing

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The Question:
Does filtration impact
wine flavor and aroma?
The Belief:
Filtration removes flavor and
aroma compounds and is
therefore undesirable.
“Unfiltered” wines are more
complex than filtered.
The Facts:
Several studies have shown that expert
tasters are not able to recognize filtered
versus unfiltered control wine.
Unfiltered wine allows continued
microbial activity, which may explain
differences perceived in unfiltered wines
in general.
The 5 Goals of Post-Fermentation
Operations:

2. COMPOSITIONAL ADJUSTMENT
Compositional Adjustment
• Acidity
Acidity
• To increase acid add:
– Malate
– Tartrate
– Citrate
• To decrease acid add:
– Calcium carbonate
• To remove volatile acidity:
– Reverse osmosis
Compositional Adjustment
• Acidity
• Sugar level
Sugar Level
• Add juice concentrate
• Arrest fermentation
– Addition of ethanol
• Fortified wine
• Fortified juice
– Temperature shock
Compositional Adjustment
• Acidity
• Sugar level
• Ethanol level
Ethanol level
• Evaporative removal with
return/replacement of co-stripped
volatiles
• Reverse osmosis followed by
adjustment of flavors/aromas
Compositional Adjustment
• Acidity
• Sugar level
• Ethanol level
• Tannin removal
Tannin Removal
• Time of aging: to allow polymerization
to occur
• Ultrafiltration: 500-2000 mw cut-off
Compositional Adjustment
• Acidity
• Sugar level
• Ethanol level
• Tannin removal
• Sulfide/mercaptan removal
Sulfide/Mercaptan Removal
• Copper sulfate (formation of CuS)
– H2S
– Some thiols
• Copper sulfate + SO2 + ascorbate
– Disulfide removal
– VERY SLOW