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WINEMAKING technologies that alter pH much more directly and decisively by going straight after those offending ions. pH-reduction technologies Technologies developed in the past 15 years for adjusting wine pH have fallen into two broad categories, with significant variations in each: Ion-exchange columns run wine past various kinds of charged resins, and high-tech membrane filtration machinery can fine-tune porosity and electrical charges, allowing for the removal of almost anything. In both cases, the heart of the processing is that potassium ions get moved out and hydrogen ions go in. Depending on the resins or the membrane setup, small amounts of magnesium and calcium may be removed, too. The organic acids are left alone; titratable acidity may rise a small amount—not because there is more acid, but because more of it gets measured in testing because of the pH drop. Ion exchangers are the older and somewhat less sophisticated technology. They have historically been used on a grand scale by Central Valley wineries, and some smaller wineries simply build their own. A column is filled with resin beads (or various mixes of materials), then the beads are charged (with various You know how good your Zinfandel is... kinds of solutions), then rinsed, and the wine passes through, swapping ions in the process. Major pH drops can be achieved, but the method is less than precise, so practitioners often treat a portion of the wine, getting a radical pH drop, then blend back to hit a target pH for the entire lot. Mobile versions of this form of pH reduction are available on the West Coast from VA Filtration, Winetech and Northwest Wine Filtration. The ballpark range for membrane filtration is somewhere between 25 and 50 cents per gallon. Wastewater from the charging agents (sulfuric acid is a common charger) may need careful detox, and there is perhaps some chance that the desirable aromatic/flavor compounds that happen to have the wrong electrical charge may get removed in the process—much the way collateral compounds can be pulled out by fining treatments. The membrane methods offer more selectivity in what gets taken out and put in, and a better ability to pinpoint a target pH level. The European equipment designer Eurodia makes membrane filtration machinery called STARS, mainly used for tartrate stabilization through electrodialysis (ED) but also adaptable for pH adjustment. The STARS system can be upgraded to an approach called bipolar electrodialysis, even better suited for taking on pH. Mavrik North America has its own membrane solution and utilizes a twostep process, first separating the wine into permeate and retentate fractions via reverse osmosis, then treating the permeate, then putting the wine back together. With these methods, you can effectively "sweet spot" your pH. Buying one of these units for your winery would set you back a couple hundred thousand dollars, which might be a fine investment for larger producers. The STARS equipment is available as a mobile service through WineSecrets, and Mavrik also makes house calls. Pricing for all these options varies with the volume of wine to be treated and the degree of pH drop desired, which might require more than one pass, and all the mobile services have minimum fees. The ballpark range is somewhere between 25 and 50 cents per gallon for all the providers surveyed here, which works out to be considerably less than the cost of corks for the five bottles in that gallon. 100% Promote your wines to leading Zinfandel enthusiasts and extend your winery's relationship in the market. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION NEW: "ZERO Waste" Technology Join Us! STARS/Electrodialysis Dial in your Tartrate Stability & Sweet-spot your pH/TA profile We are champions of Zinfandel— America's Heritage Wine Become part of our proud legacy zinfandel.org • 530-274-4900 Zinfandel Advocates & Producers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. ZAP is dedicated to advancing public knowledge of and appreciation for American Zinfandel and its unique place in our culture and history. MEMSTAB – The New Standard! Combine in-line, single-pass, Crossflow Filtration With Tartrate Stabilization GUARANTEED TARTRATE STABILITY Red, White & Rose Wines QUALITY ENHANCEMENT NO ADDITIVES NO CHILLING Call: 1.707.486.4651 Pre-Owned, Rentals and Mobile Services Available East & West Coast Win es & Vin es D EC EM b er 20 13 33