A novel solution to tartrate instability in white wines

Abstract

Tartrate stabilization remains a necessary step in commercial wine production to avoid the precipitation of crystals in bottled wine. The conventional refrigeration method to prevent crystallization of potassium bitartrate is time-consuming, energy-intensive, and involves a filtration step to remove the sediment. Nevertheless, it is still the most used stabilization method by winemakers. This work exploits for the first time an alternative to traditional cold stabilization that explores the potential of carefully tailored surface coatings obtained by plasma polymerization. Coatings containing amine functional groups were most potent in binding and removing potassium in heat-unstable wines. In contrast, carboxyl acid groups rich surfaces had the most significant impact on heat-stabilized wines. The results of this study demonstrate that surfaces with carefully designed chemical functionalities can remove tartaric acid from wine and induce cold stabilization. This process can operate at higher temperatures, reducing the need for cooling facilities, saving energy, and improving cost-effectiveness.

Keywords: Cold stability; Plasma deposition; Potassium bitartrate; Thin coatings; White wine.