Influence of Variety, Maturity and Processing on the Clarity and Stability of Wines

¹ DEPARTMENT OF VITICULTURE AND ENOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS, CALIFORNIA

1. WINES THAT CLARIFY THEMSELVES NATURALLY AND RAPIDLY ARE ALWAYS CONSIDERED BETTER THAN WINES THAT DO NOT.

2. GRAPE VARIETIES DIFFER MARKEDLY FROM EACH OTHER IN THE EASE WITH WHICH THEIR WINES BECOME CLEAR. THIS IS RELATED TO MATURITY, OVERCROPPING, AND OTHER FACTORS. EARLIER HARVESTING IS BETTER THAN LATE.

3. SETTLING THE MUSTS IS AN ADVANTAGE IN WHITE WINE PRODUCTION. LIKEWlSE, USE OF SULFUR DIOXIDE AND PURE YEAST CULTURES IS ADVANTAGEOUS.

4. METAL CONTAMINATION SHOULD BE KEPT AT A MINIMUM DURING PROCESSING. THE AMOUNTS OF METALS FOUND IN GRAPES OR NEW WINES APPARENTLY DO NOT INFLUENCE WINE CLOUDING UNLESS AUGMENTED BY METAL CONTAMINATION DURING PROCESSING AND FINISHING.

5. FERMENTATION AT LOW TEMPERATURES AND EARLY RACKING OF THE NEW WINES ARE DESIRABLE FOR CALIFORNIA WINES.

6. A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF UNANSWERED PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN NOTED. ONE MUST CONCLUDE THAT SPECIFIC STABILITY TESTS HAVE TO BE MADE ON EACH WINE.