New technology promotes the winemakers’ best intentions
Ultrafiltration is the latest development in the field of wine fining, championed by a local South Australian company intent on ensuring that technology and innovation continue to be at the centre of the modern Australian wine story. Barossa-based VA FILTRATION and MEMSTAR are national leaders in this membrane filtration technology, designed to remove unwanted phenolic compounds in wine, and to improve mouth-feel, texture and colour of the finished product.
Matthew Hooper, managing director of parent-company VA FILTRATION and its sister company, MEMSTAR, explained: “Everything we work on is designed to improve the consumers’ experience of any given wine. In all instances, the technology or innovation applied is always with a clear consumer benefit in mind.”
The removal of bitter tannins ensures that white wine has substantially improved aroma and freshness, and that red wine has the desired softness and fruit expression. The process is quick and cost effective, and significantly reduces the need for winemakers to invest in other invasive, remedial adjustments to improve their wine during post-production. Anything from a single barrel to thousands of litres can be processed at a time, and the gentle nature of the respective proprietary technologies ensure that the wines’ intrinsic quality is untouched.
Since 2004, VA Filtration and Memstar have been providing winemakers around the world with a unique, single-pass treatment process to remove the musty, corky, mushroom aromas of TCA (2,4,6 Trichloroanisole) and TBA (2,4,6 Tribromoanisole) from wine. This latest development adds further opportunity for the ultimate goal of consistent, fault-free, ‘clean’ wine.
Hooper enthusiastically continued: “The intention is not to interfere with the winemaking craft, but rather to improve the chances of the winemaker being able to deliver the result that he or she originally intended.
“Ultimately, all winemaking endeavour is subject to the uncertainties of nature, weather and seasons, and VA FILTRATION and MEMSTAR are committed to developing solutions that support the winemaker, and, above all, that help deliver a better wine experience for the consumer,” Hooper concluded.
For further advice and more information on VA FILTRATION and MEMSTAR proprietary products and services, please contact us.
— This news item originally published as “New technology promotes the winemakers’ best intentions” – p.62, WBM. May/June 2017.
