Sometimes a new wine will have several defects, and it will be obvious to the winemaker that multiple fining treatments will be needed. In general, fining operations are done in the following sequence.
Malolactic Chromatography Testing
Some wine experts claim that the accurate monitoring of Malo-Lactic Fermentation (MLF) is one of the most critical parameters in red wine making but one that is most commonly overlooked. Paper Chromatography is a simple qualitative analytical procedure that has been used for many years in the wine industry to assess progress in MLF.
Care and Feeding of Wine Yeast
COMING SOON. In the meantime, see notes on Go-Ferm and Fermaid K by the manufacturer, Lallemand.
Yeasts commonly used by Nanaimo Winemakers
Yeasts commonly used by Nanaimo Winemakers These notes come (often directly) from the various manufacturer’s websites. All yeasts are from Lallemand except Vin 13 (Anchor) and VL1 and VL3 (Laffort). Compiled September 2005. Index of yeasts 71B BM45 CY3079 D47 …
Potassium Sorbate
Potassium sorbate, a widely used food preservative, is added in small quantities to sweet or semi-sweet wines to prevent further sugar fermentation. It is the only practical way for the home winemaker to guarantee that fermentation will not restart in the bottle.
Identifying and Preventing Protein Haze
A white wine that was clear once but now is hazy or is hazier when it cold than when it is warm is suffering from protein haze. This is largely an aesthetic problem but one which winemakers try to eliminate. This article explains what home winemakers can do.
Understanding Sulfur in Wine
Reduced sulfur compounds (those formed in the absence of oxygen) are a perennial problem in winemaking because they usually smell very foul (rubber, swamp, cabbage, garlic). They also reduce a wines mouth feel and enhance bitterness.
Yan Calculator
This is the latest version (Oct 2014) of the Excel tool the Willem Wyngaards developed on the basis of the previous article. We call it a YAN calculator, but it is really a nitrogen addition calculator (and it also calculates yeast additions).
Keeping White Ferments Cool
There is general agreement that white juice should be fermented at cool temperatures, taking several weeks to complete the process rather than the several days common with red must. Keeping white ferments cool is particularly applicable for the aromatic style. The cooler ferments can yield better varietal fruit flavor.
Using Lysozyme
Lysozyme is the “silver bullet” necessary for preventing malolactic fermentations in aromatic white wines. This article discusses how to prepare and use Lysozyme.