Effect of different chemical additives on the tartaric stabilization of young wines

Abstract

According to recent literature, the administration of additives that inhibit crystallization of tartar is highly recommended for application in winemaking. The present work was undertaken to verify the effect of chemical and natural additives on the potassium bitartrate stability and composition of 2 types of young wines. According to the data we found that the used additives inhibit potassium bitartrate crystallization at different doses between 10 and 60 g/hl. In conclusion, we recommend the use of chemical additives – carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), metatartaric acid (MetA) and mannoproteins (MP) in young wines to prevent possible tartaric precipitation. Recommended doses are: CMC at 2 g/hl, MP at 30–40 g/hl and MetA at 10 g/l.