TCA and its causes

TCA/TBA are halogen based compounds that are detectable in wine at levels as low as 0.5 ng/l.  There are many potential sources of TCA/TBA including chlorinated process water, wooden barrels, wooden pallets, corks, filter media, oak chips, packaging products and wooden structures.  Mold in pipes or tanks that has been in contact with chlorine results in rapid contamination when exposed to wine.

It must be noted that if your wine has TCA, it will not contaminate tanks, pumps or hoses that it has passed through.  The taint requires a source, and if that source is not present, no cross contamination is possible by simply exposing TCA containing wine to a surface and then contacting that surface with uncontaminated wine.  Of course if there is residual wine present, a minute amount of TCA may be present in that wine, but it will not cause a so called infection in the uncontaminated wine if exposed to it.

The removal process

VA Filtration configured their TCA removal process back in 2004.  Using already existing technology, the process was configured in a unique manner allowing faster rates of removal than was currently present at the time.  The process is extremely gentle on the wine and targets only the halogen based compounds that may be present (Chlorine or Bromine).

Our process is able to treat one barrel, up to tank sizes.  Trials can be arranged on as small as 375ml sample bottles.