HOW TO OPTIMIZE FILTRATIONS

Article published in the Rhône Vinification Guide n°7, July 20031 In numerous countries, such as the United States, well-informed customers tend to request non filtered but microbiologically stable wines. Other countries, such as Canada and Sweden, have stringent requirements concerning the microbial load of wines. Thus, preparation of wines for bottling has to meet certain demands: Quality preservation of filtered wines, valorization of filter residues, cost management and environmental sustainability represent today’s professional concerns. While the conditions and duration of wine ageing already allow to achieve a certain physical and microbiological stability, it is the final filtration before bottling, which prevents deposits and microbiological modifications through removal of particulate matter and microorganisms.