Finishing and Packaging Flashcards

1
Q

Define Clarification

A

All the processes, both physical and chemical, that are used to make wine clear

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2
Q

Define Sedimentation

A

The process of natural clarification when suspended matter precipitates over time

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3
Q

Why do some premium wineries only clarify through sedimentation?

A

They believe that they avoid the potential loss of textures and flavors that can happen if a wine is fined or filtered

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4
Q

What is something that must be considered when it comes to only clarifying the wine via sedimentation?

A

It is really only something that is suitable for premium or super-premium wines due to the amount of time it requires

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5
Q

What is centrifugation?

A

A rapid process that spins the wine at high rotational speed to clarify it.

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6
Q

What kind of filtration (surface or depth) can centrifugation replace?

A

Depth filtration.

  • This can allow for early bottling
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7
Q

Is centrifugation something that small wineries can or should do?

A

Can? Yes.

Should? Probably not because the machinery required to do this is very expensive, so it generally only done in high volume wineries.

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8
Q

Define Fining

A

Fining is a procedure in which a fining agent is added to speed up the process of the precipitation of suspended material in the wine.

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9
Q

What is a colloid?

A

microscopic particles too small to be removed by filtering

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10
Q

What is the aim of fining a wine?

A

To help clarify the wine and to stabilize it against the formation of hazes later in the bottle

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11
Q

Can you over-fine a wine?

A

Yes. It is easy to do so many winemakers conduct lab trials before using a fining agent so that they only use the minimum effective amount.

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12
Q

What happens to a wine if it is over fined?

A

Many fining agents can remove positive compounds from a wine which can make it unstable when too much is added

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13
Q

What are the three categories of common fining agents

A
  • Those that remove unstable proteins
  • Those that remove phenolics that contribute undesirable color and bitterness
  • Those that remove color and off-odors
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14
Q

Name all of different fining agents

A
  • Bentonite
  • Egg Whites
  • Gelatin
  • Casein
  • Isinglass
  • Vegetable protein products
  • PVPP
  • Charcoal
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15
Q

Describe what Bentonite is and how it works as a fining agent

A

Bentonite is a form of clay which adsorbs unstable proteins and unstable colloidal coloring matter.

  • It has a minimal effect on the flavor and texture of a wine.
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16
Q

Are there any negatives to using bentonite?

A

Yes, it can remove some of the color in red and produces large amounts of sediment, so wine is lost when it is racked off

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17
Q

What are the two forms of egg whites that are used to fine wine?

A

Fresh or powdered form

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18
Q

How does using egg whites as a fining agent affect the final wine?

A

It has the ability to remove harsh tannins and clarify wine so the wine comes out clearer and softer. It is also very gentle to the win.

  • Egg whites are an allergen so it must be declared on the label if sold in the EU and other places if used above a specific limit.
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19
Q

Gelatin is a fining agent made from _______, and how does it affect red and white wines?

A

A protein collagen extracted from pork

It removes bitterness and astringency in red wine, and browning in white wine pressings

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20
Q

What is casein?

A

a milk-derived protein that removes browning in white wines and clarifies wine to some extent.

  • Must be declared as an allergen on the label in some territories
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21
Q

What is Isinglass?

A

A protein collagen made from fish bladders

  • must be used in the smallest effective amount possible as it can cause a haze and create a fishy smell
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22
Q

What are the two main types of filtration?

A
  • Depth Filtration

- Surface Filtration

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23
Q

What are the two common forms of depth filtration?

A
  • Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

- Sheet Filters

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24
Q

What is the other name for Diatomaceous Earth?

A

Kieselguhr

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25
Q

How does a Rotary Vacuum Filter work?

A

This type of filter uses a layer of DE to filter the wine. Wine is sucked by vacuum from the outside of the drum, through the DE to the inside of the drum

  • This is an oxidative process as the drum is exposed to air
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26
Q

What is the advantage of using an enclosed DE filter?

A

They work the same, but can be flushed with an inert gas to avoid oxidation taking place

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27
Q

What are the other names for Sheet filters?

A
  • Plate and frame

- ‘Pad’ filters

28
Q

How do sheet filters work?

A

Wine is passed through a sheet of the filtering material. The more sheets there are in the filter the quicker the wine can be filtered.

29
Q

What are the two types of Surface Filters?

A
  • Membrane Filters

- Cross-flow Filters

30
Q

What is another name and Membrane Filters, and how do they work?

A

Cartridge filters

They catch particles that will not go through the pore size of the filter.

31
Q

List some of the drawbacks to using a membrane filter

A
  • The wine usually should be pre-filtered via a depth filter

- They are slower as the pores in the cartridges are smaller

32
Q

Give the other name for a Cross-flow Filter

A

Tangential Filter

33
Q

How do Cross-flow Filters work?

A

They allow wine to pass through the filter while uniquely cleaning the surface of the filter as it works.

34
Q

What is are two of the benefits to using a Cross-flow Filter?

A
  • They can filter wine with a high load of particles or lees very quickly
  • There are no replacement sheets, cartridges, or earth to dispose of.
35
Q

What does the term ‘stabilization’ refer to in regards to wine-makeing?

A

The used of different wine making interventions, that if not carried out, could lead to undesirable effects in the finished wine

36
Q

What are the different kinds of stabilization that can be carried out?

A
  • Protein Stability
  • Tartrate Stability
  • Microbiological Stability
37
Q

What is key procedure to ensure protein stability?

A

Fining with bentonite

38
Q

What are tartrates?

A

Harmless deposits of crystals that can form in a finished wine.

  • principally potassium bitratrate and less frequently calcium tartrate
39
Q

What some of the different processes done to achieve tartrate stability?

A
  • Cold stabilization
  • Contract Process
  • Electrodialysis
  • Ion Exchange
  • Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)
  • Metatartaric Acid
40
Q

How was cold stabilization carried out vs. how it is done now?

A

Traditionally it was done by leaving the wine in the a cold cellar for months through the winter.

Now the wine is kept at -4°C (25°F) for around 8 days so that any crystals form before the wine is bottled.

41
Q

How can colloids affect the process of cold stabilization?

A
  • Since they are microscopic particles that cannot be filtered out, they must be fined out or they will interfere with the crystals from precipitating.
42
Q

Cold stabilization only precipitates out ______ and not ______

A

Potassium bitartrate

Calcium tartrate

43
Q

Explain what the contact process is

A

A quicker, continuous, more reliable, and cheaper form of cold stabilization where potassium bitartrate is added to the wine to speed up the crystallization process.

Wine only has to be chilled down to 0°C (32°F) for a few hours as well.

44
Q

What is Electrodialysis?

A

A process that uses a charged membrane to remove selected ions.

It can remove potassium, calcium and tartrate ions

45
Q

What are two other important things to remember about Electrodialysis?

A

It is allowed in the EU and other territories as a form of tartrate stability.

Although the initial investment cost is high, it is cheaper and more efficient in than cold stabilization in the long run.

46
Q

How does Ion Exchange work in reference to Tartrate stability?

A

It does not actually remove tartrates. Instead it replaces potassium and calcium ions with hydrogen or sodium ions, which will not drop out of solution

47
Q

What is CMC?

A

Carboxymethylcellulose: A cellulose extracted from wood and prevents tartrates from developing to a visible size.

48
Q

True or False,

CMC is not suitable for use on red, white, and rose wines

A

True! It is widely used on inexpensive white and roses.

In red wine however, it reacts with tannins (which renders it ineffective) and cause a haze.

49
Q

How does meatartartic acid work?

A

When this compound is added to a batch of wine, it prevents the growth of potassium bitartrate and calcium tartrate crystals.

50
Q

What are the drawbacks for CMC and metatartartic acid?

A

Neither one if a long term solution as they lose efficiency over time. (That being said CMC > M.A.)

51
Q

Why is it important for wines to micro-biologically stable?

A
  • Wines with R.S. have the potential to start re-fermenting in the bottle again.
  • Lactic Acid Bacteria (which promotes MLF) and Brettanomyces can live in low pH and high alcohol environments.
52
Q

What chemical can be used to help manage Brett if it is running a muck?

A

If Brett levels are high, it can be treated with DMDC (Dimethly dicarbonate also known as Velcorin) which inactivates Brett.

53
Q

What is Sparging?

A

It is the name for the process of lowering the amount of dissolved oxygen levels in a wine by flushing it with an inert gas

54
Q

List all of the different faults that are possible

A
  • Cloudiness and hazes
  • Tartrates
  • Re-fermentation in Bottle
  • Cork Taint
  • Oxidation
  • Volatile Acidity
  • Reduction
  • Light Strike
  • Brettanomyces
55
Q

List as many reasons as you can as to why a wine could be cloudy/hazy

A
  • Growth of yeast or bacteria coupled with failure to filter adequately
  • Poor filtering of the wine; wine was pumped at a high pressure through a filter and unwanted molecules got through.
  • Protein haze due to using the wrong fining agent
  • The wine was over-fined
56
Q

What causes Volatile Acidity?

A

It is caused by the activity of acetic acid bacteria, inadequate levels of SO2, and excess exposure to oxygen

57
Q

What does Brett smell like?

A

Animal, spicy, farmyard smells.

58
Q

What are the key steps to avoiding Brett?

A
  • Excellent Hygiene
  • Maintaining effective SO2 levels
  • Keeping pH levels low
  • Making sure the time between alcoholic fermentation and MLF as short as possible.
59
Q

How will having to much/little oxygen potentially affect a final wine?

A
  • Too much oxygen will lead to premature aging (oxidation and color loss)
  • Too little oxygen may lead to reductive characteristics (rotten eggs, onion)
60
Q

What are all the sources of oxygen once the wine is in the bottle?

A
  • Amount of dissolved oxygen in a wine
  • Oxygen in the head space (ullage), is often the largest oxygen contribution
  • Amount of oxygen in the cork/closure
  • OTR of the cork/closure
61
Q

List all of the different packaging options for wine

A
  • Glass
  • Plastic
  • Bag-in-box
  • Brick
  • Pouch
  • Can
62
Q

List the positives to using glass bottles?

A
  • Ideal container because it is inert
  • Impermeable to Oxygen
  • Does not convey taints to the wine
  • Bottles can be delivered in a near sterile condition
  • Inexpensive to make
  • In principle it is 100% recyclable
63
Q

What are the disadvantages to using glass bottles?

A
  • High carbon footprint
  • Heavy to transport
  • Fairly fragile
  • If the wine is put in a clear bottle, it can suffer from light strike
64
Q

What is the average shelf life of a bag-in-box?

A

6-9 months

65
Q

What is the other (brand name) for a glass stopper?

A

Vinolok