Method for the pasteurization of wine on a production basis in the winery

摘要

Attaining biological stability in wine has been a problem for winemakers for centuries. The main methods for preventing microbes from destroying wine have been the addition of chemicals such as sulphur dioxide and potassium sorbate and ultra filtration. These methods are less than satisfactory. Chemicals can only be used to a certain level before they affect the taste of the wine or cause allergy reactions in the drinker. Ultra filtration will remove the microbes but it also removes taste and body from the wine. Previous attempts at pasteurization of wine have been marginally successful because of the subsequent spoilage of the wine in less than optimum winery storage and less than total kill of the microbes. I have devised a method to eliminate these problems and have the wine ready to bottle in a pasteurized state, and designed the equipment to do this in the winery. The method consists of two elements which differ from previous attempts in two significant ways. First, I use enough heat and time to kill all microbes in the wine, and secondly I do it in the tank or barrel from which I intend to bottle the wine. In this way both the wine and the container holding the wine are sanitized.