Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/66144
WINEMAKING help, and in others solids delay and slow malolactic fermentation. Too low a level of solids, resulting in slow fermentations, leads to increased production of acetic acid. Too high a level can increase lactic acid bacterial ac- tivity—both the good kind (Oenococcus oeni, the driver of successful malolactic) and some bad actors. Too high a level of solids leads to green aromas and flavors, reductive smells, bitterness and oxida- tion. High solids yield elevated levels of higher alcohols (isoamyl alcohol and some relatives), which are the kinds of double-edged components that improve some wines and mess with others. High solids also promote astringency, another characteristic that may or may not be desirable. In the modern, hyper- fruity style of white winemaking, pheno- lic extraction is a no-no, since it can be jarring to consumers. But for wines that hope to age and develop in the bottle, a little phenolic boost can surely help. That can be gained with several hours of skin contact, but the tannin-bearing skin shards in the juice lees may also con- tribute to the same end. In other words, a particular winemaker may or may not want perceptible astringency. Several hours of skin contact can provide a phenolic boost—a good thing for winemakers who sell wines that are likely to be aged in the bottle. Fatty acids in the solids can provide ScottLabs_Aug10.qxp 6/29/10 3:58 PM Page 1 some nutrition, and the good ones can adsorb some of the bad ones that may be toxic to yeast, thus providing a yeast R&D_Jan08 11/12/07 3:54 PM Page 1 survival factor toward the end of fer- mentation. But too many lipids can yield noticeable amounts of methionol, a com- pound that smells like broth or meat and Glass Apparatus for the Wine Laboratory Acclaimed by enologists across the continent! The RD80 Volatile Acid Still is an improvement on the Cash Still for determination of volatile acids in wine. It features an aspirator pump to remove the spent sample, which speeds testing, saves water, avoids repair bills, and prevents cross contamination of samples. The R&D SO2 Apparatus uses the Aeration- Oxidation Method to maximize testing accuracy. It is specifically designed for this test in con- sultation with enologists. Flexible spherical joints and interchangeable flasks facilitate simple operation and minimize breakage. We manufacture a full line of wine laboratory equipment, and also provide Glassware Design Engineering, Custom Fabrication, and Repair Services. CALL, FAX OR WRITE FOR OUR CATALOG OF WINE APPARATUS. Research & Development Glass Products & Equipment, Inc. 1808 Harmon Street • Berkeley, CA • 510-547-6464 • Fax 510-547-3620 E-mail: RD1967@aol.com • Web site: http://go.to/RandD Suppliers of Lab Glassware to the Wine Industry since 1967 58 Wines & Vines AUGUsT 201 1