Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is an essential additive in winemaking. This chemical largely is used as a food and wine preservative for its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. It inhibits, and in some cases kills, some yeast and bacteria. SO2 also protects grape must and wine from oxidation by enzymatic and chemical reactions, and therefore from browning and off-odors.
View PDFWhat is an “inert” gas?
“Inert” is the term used to describe substances that are not chemically reactive. However, reactivity is dependent on context. Historically, the noble gases (helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon) were referred to as inert gases.
View PDFWines bottled with residual sugar concentration at or above 1 gram per liter have the potential to be at risk for yeast refermentation. Stringent cleaning and sanitation practices, appropriate sulfur dioxide (SO2) use, and sterile filtration prior to bottling help to prevent refermentation issues. This publication shares key points for potassium sorbate use in wine.
View PDFCold-hardy interspecific hybrid grape varieties (Vitis spp.) have distinctive chemical compositions such as high acidity, a high content of anthocyanin diglucoside and a low condensed tannins content, compared to Vitis vinifera varieties. Considering the importance of phenolic compounds on the quality of red wine, a mechanical maceration technique, accentuated cut edges (ACE)…
To investigate whether Iowa should pursue a signature wine style, industry members were surveyed on grape production, wines produced/sold, and comments on the idea of an Iowa Signature Wine. A selection of wines were purchased and evaluated to narrow the selection of four wines of each variety (Brianna, Edelweiss, La Crescent, Marquette and Frontenac) to present for preference evaluation by consumers. These wines also went through a thorough chemical analysis. Results were evaluated to identify correlations between chemical analysis variables and consumer preference.
View PDFThe harvest parameter of total soluble solids (TSS) is a measure of the density (mass/volume) of all soluble solids. A component in determining ripeness of the berries is the concentration of sugars. This determines the potential alcohol content achievable during fermentation through yeasts consumption of sugars.
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