Prediction of tartrate stability of sherry wines by a conductimetric system with rapid response

• Published in: Food chemistry Vol. 81; no. 3; pp. 457 - 462
• Main Authors: GOMEZ BENITEZ, J, PALACIOS MACIAS, V. M, VEAS LOPEZ, R, PEREZ RODRIGUEZ, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Fermented food industries; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Methods of analysis, processing and quality control, regulation, standards; Minicontact test; Potassium bitartrate; Saturation temperature; Sherry wines; Tartrate stability; Wines and vinegars; Potassium bitartrate; Saturation temperature; Minicontact test; Tartrate stability; Sherry wines; Wine; Temperature; Stability; Saturation; Tartrate; Alcoholic beverage; Analysis method; Xeres; Conductometry; Quality control
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/S0308-8146(02)00511-3

The particular production process of Sherry wines means that an appropriate level of tartrate stability is not always reached. The objective of the work described here was to find a rapid and reliable method to determine the tartrate stability of this type of wine. After a broad initial characterization, it was shown that cold-treated Sherry wines remain more oversaturated with potassium bitartrate than white and red table wines. The saturation temperature (Ts) and the result of the minicontact test (Mc) have been correlated with the tartrate stability of different Sherry wines, with the conclusion that wines having Mc values lower than 10 μS/cm remain stable at −4 °C during 1 week. In contrast, a direct relationship between stability and Ts was not found. The minicontact test is therefore proposed as a method for the rapid and reliable determination of the tartrate stability of Sherry wines.