The clearing of the grape must is indispensable for making quality wines. High amounts of lees lead to undesirable bitter substances, support the tendency to form sulphide off-flavours and musty components or increase the risk of unclean fermentations. Besides lees, bacteria, wild yeasts and moulds, also spraying agent residues that stick to the grape skin and numerous metabolism products which may lead to off-flavours, are eliminated early by consequent must treatment. Moreover the untypical ageing off-flavour, which in the last years has become a topic more and more often discussed, occurs much more rarely in cleared musts than in grape musts left untreated.

The enzymatisation of white grape mashes, grape musts and wine is an efficient biotechnological measure to facilitate processing and thus enhance quality. The versatile activities of different enzymes allow, among other effects, to positively affect aroma and to reduce filtration costs. The enzymes used should always be highly purified and be free from detrimental depsidases and oxidases.

Flotation is one method for must clearing. Contrary to sedimentation, the principle of flotation is based on the buoyancy of the sediment particles of the must saturated with air or nitrogen under pressure and its sudden expansion. Prior to flotation, grape mash or must have to undergo enzymatisation to facilitate or make possible the buoyancy of sediment particles. The flotation effect itself is considerably stimulated and improved by a special, high-bloom gelatin. All other treatment agents applied in sedimentation are also suited for flotation.

For a disturbance-free fermentation, a good nutrient supply of the yeasts is required. Only under optimized conditions, the yeast is able to convert the sugar entirely to alcohol and form the desired fermentation aromas at the same time. A lot of wines, or even most of the wines, are not sufficiently provided with nutrients. Rot further reduces the natural nutrient reservoir. As a rule, it therefore makes sense to add a combination product for optimal yeast nutrition to the grape must, thus preventing a lack of nutrients and assuring a safe fermentation process by this measure.

In most cases a reduction of excess, partly bitter and astringent tannins is sufficient to improve sensory evaluation. In addition, an increased, more pronounced mouthfeel brings about the effect of direct taste sensation and of a wine with more richness and body. This aim is reached by using gum arabic and tannin. With regard to red and rosé wines, colour pigments are preserved and stabilised.

Alcoholic fermentation is simply the basis of winemaking. And as a matter of course, dry selected yeasts are applied for a quick fermentation onset, for a securely completed final fermentation and to produce wines with clean aromas. By special yeast selections, the varietal character and different aroma profiles of the wine can be very well promoted. In addition, specially selected red wine yeasts support colour stabilisation.

White wines with pronounced acidity are less and less expected by consumers. The trend goes towards very well structured, well balanced, acid-reduced modern white wines which meanwhile can be produced in an excellent way by using selected lactic acid bacteria. Malo-lactic fermentation is particularly suited for the grape varieties Pinot blanc and Chardonnay. But also for Riesling a treatment with starter cultures to reduce acidity could have a positive effect. In red wine-making malo-lactic fermentation simply is a must. Lactic acid bacteria form various by-products when converting malic acid to lactic acid which provide the red wine with a pleasant velvety softness, enhanced structure and desired, targeted aroma profile. The resulting wines are characteristic, sensory evaluation is brilliant.

Climate conditions lead to the most different acid contents, changing from vintage to vintage. Frequently this leads to inharmonious wine flavours. Different approved methods can be used to neutralize acidity: standard deacidification, fine deacidification, double-salt deacidification and extended double-salt deacidification, dependent on the present acid content and acid proportions. The best method to harmonize acidity in red wine certainly is malo-lactic fermentation.

Clarification early after fermentation end is an important step to assure cleanness of the wines and their stability and to prevent wine disorders. The subsequent filtration is considerably improved, expenses are reduced. At the same time, certain treatment agent combinations lead to a certain balancing, positively affecting sensory evaluation, already during clarification. Bentonite is a multi-layer clay mineral for protein adsorption and clarification. Raw material selection and processing determine the purpose of application.

Beside the conventional clarifying agents, different sprecial products are in use which due to their composition and processing, are particularly adjusted to certain application cases in wine, e.g. high pH-values, low temperatures, wines problematic to filtrate, well-balanced red wine technology or tannin harmonisation at the same time. By the application of these products, further quality increases can be realized.

The negatively charged silica sol (silicon dioxide) assures complete gelatin flocculation, quicker clarification, improved settling and facilitated filtration.

For wine treatment positively charged, mostly medium-bloom, acidically digested edible gelatin is applied for clarification, flocculation of lees, tannin reduction and improvement of stability. The subsequent filtration is considerably improved, expenses are reduced. At the same time, certain treatment agent combinations lead to a certain balancing, positively affecting sensory evaluation, already during clarification.

The different activated carbon types of vegetable origin with correspondingly varied inner surface, thus specific adsorption capacity. The carbons undergo a special production process in which the fine material is bound without affecting adsorptive power. In such a way separation is effected more quickly and the bouquet substances of the beverages are widely preserved.

Even though already at the end of the 19th century, sulphide off-flavours in wine were described for the first time, the development and above all, the prevention of sulphide off-flavours is still not yet finally cleared up today. The removal of sulphide off-flavours (which include hydrogen sulphide, mercaptan off-flavours and others), without greater quality losses, causes problems for the wine-maker every year anew. Kupzit is a product innovation to remove sulphide off-flavours very well without a metal flavour remaining in the wine. In most cases, a subsequent blue fining is not necessary. At present, Kupzit undergoes large-scale trialling in Austria. It is approved in Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia. From August 2009 Kupzit is it almost approved in th EU.

The positive effect of oak wood on wine quality is uncontested. There is a great difference between wines stored in wooden barrels and wines stored in tanks. When applying oak chips similar effects can be achieved. The use of oak chips accelerates maturation and dependent on the choice of the respective oak chips, the wine aroma varies and can be directed towards a certain desired aroma profile. Another important factor in favour of the use of oak chips, is the saving and sustainable conservation of the slowly growing raw material oak wood, since the required wood quantity is considerably smaller compared with the quantity needed to make barrique barrels. On red wines, oak chips have an additional and important colour stabilizing effect, due to increased polymerisation. In the EU, oak chips are not permitted at present, but in an advanced stage of approval.

For an optimal wine presentation, almost every wine can be somewhat corrected. Particularly the finishing treatment shortly before bottling, rounds off the wine and removes smaller off-flavours. For flavour optimisation it is favourable to carry out pretests.

Ever since wine has been bottled, the problem of crystal precipitation has occured. Due to the mostly short period of vinification, there is not enough time left for natural crystallisation. Even though, the crystals look beautiful and oenologists rather consider them a quality characteristic, consumers keep complaining. This is why preventive measures have to be taken.

The Wine law allow to use many winetreatment products. The sensory of the wines in differnet vintages, by different wines can be affected by the acidification. A wine with microbiological disorders cannot be sold. Besides cellar hygiene, sufficient sulphuring and permanent SO2-control are the decisive factors to assure that bottled wines are not microbially infested. Vitamin C and sorbic acid have a supporting effect.

The filter aids kieselguhr and perlite facilitate or even only make filtration possible. Filtration effect and filtration performance can be increased by cellulose fibrils. Long-fiber cellulose allows a processing of deposits from must racking and deacidification without special devices and equipment.

FIBRAFIX depth filter sheets represent an approved and established filtration technology for solid liquid separation. The three dimensional medium assures superior retention capacity for solid particles at a high flow rate. The pore sizes can be fine enough to retain bacteria and thus produce a sterile liquid. The dirt holding capacity of a FibraFix depth filter sheet can be up to 4 kg per m². In the filtration process, solid particles are slowed down and eventually retained by the tortuous path inside the filter sheet and by electrokinetical interactions. Through this unique mechanism, a high capacity (long lifetime of filter until plugging) can be achieved.

Since 1988 Carlson Filtration has been part of the Swiss based Group FILTROX AG. Through out its lifetime the company has developed a strong position in the market place for depth filtration media, modules and supporting equipment. Its products are used in multiple industries, including spirits, wine, brewing, fruit juices and other food related applications. Carlson Filtration develops, manufactures, markets and distributes a broad range of products to suit all applications. From the Barnoldswick factory the company distributes products through the UK and to over 130 countries worldwide.

Filter cartridges are used for the clear filtration of liquids with low solids content up to a maximum of 0.1 percent by weight. Possible applications for filter cartridges range from particle separation through depth filter cartridges (BECO PROTECT) to sterile filtration and separation of micro-organisms via membrane filter cartridges (BECO Membrane). With separation limits between 100 µm and 0.2 µm, the BECO cartridge range covers a very broad spectrum of liquid filtration applications. Moreover, a variety of filter media and types are available. In addition to different filter lengths between 10" (25 cm) and 40" (100 cm), a variety of adapter types are available.

Patented co-extrusion manufacturing process creates engineered closures with a foamed core and an outer skin. These two elements work hand in hand to create predictable and consistent preservation results. The core is breathable and allows optimum oxygen transfer rates through the closure, while the outer skin provides a precise and consistent seal. In addition to its function, the skin has the appearance of natural cork and preserves the traditional ceremony of opening a bottle of wine, making Nomacorc appropriate for any and all occasions. BEFORE BOTTLING PLEASE READ THE BOTTLING GUIDE AND ASK FOR SAMPLES! Specific printing is also available, please ask for information!

For the correct and professional winetreatment it is necessary to know the analitycal parameter of the wines. The knowledge of the analitycal parameter help us to make the sufficent sulfuring or monitoring the malo-lactic fermentation. For the stabilization of the wines is it necessary to now how high is the bentonit demand, for this reason we can use the Bentotest.

The bottom line of making good and fine wine is to keep clean the cellars. More than 55 years ago the company WIGOL W. Stache GmbH had been founded at Worms on the Rhine. We produce cleaning and disinfecting agents for the beverage, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry as well as degreasing concentrates and anti-corrosion agents for the surface technology.

According to the current legal interpretation (§ 2 and § 5 LMBG = German law on foodstuffs and commodities) enzymes are no food additives but processing aids, which means, enzymes do not require separate labelling when applied in the production of fruit juice or concentrate. The German fruit juice regulation and the EU-directive allow the use of pectolytic, proteolytic and amylolytic enzymes. In addition the directions for vegetable juices permit to introduce cellulolytical activities.

Distillation is an ancient craft that is rich in tradition, producing a noble and fine cultural asset. And in spite of all the modern techniques and processes, the actual handicraft of distillation has remained what it always was: a fine art.

Smell, taste, clarity, foam, and colour are the criteria by which the consumer judges a beer. The increase in global beer production and in customer demands require safe quality parameters for at least one year.