UF Processing

There is a new fascinating world that is being opened up by using ultrafiltration (UF) in wine making.  UF is a range of membranes from 500 MWCO to 200,000 MWCO that can be used for wine concentration, color removal, bitter tannin removal, color removal from heavy press juice fractions etc..  VA Filtration offers a full range of processing options related to the above mentioned processes.

Wine Concentration

There are numerous reasons the would justify wine concentration.  You may want to experience more intensity on the pallet, you make wine in a cooler growing area, it rained just before harvest or too much water was added to the ferment.  Whatever the reason, wine concentration can add a tremendous amount to the mouthfeel of a wine.  The process is simple and can be carried out on-site at any winery.

By using a proprietary MWCO UF membrane, the wine is separated into 2 color fractions—low color and high color. The low color fraction can be used for blending purposes, while the high color fraction is the desirable product. This is a great tool for wine makers to increase the concentration of the wine whilst still keeping the wine balanced.  Quality increases dramatically with an average of about 5–10% concentration. It also increases the color and depth of the wine.

Please note that the reduction of alcohol as per current CFR codes does not allow the use of LCWF removal followed by water add back that is not water originating from the wine. The LCWF can be sent to a DSP facility for the removal of the ethanol followed by the add back of the water originating from the wine in order to reduce alcohol.

UF benefit on Heavy Press Juice Fraction

This process is ideal for wineries that separate their heavy press from the lighter press fraction.  By running our proprietary UF membrane process on the heavy press juice fraction, the juice exiting the UF membranes is free of color and bitterness and can be added back to the main fermenter.  This is a HUGE advantage and can potentially save wineries thousands of dollars by recovering product.  Each year VA Filtration successfully processes thousands of gallons of Pinot Grigio, SB and Chardonnay.  Can be used on any white or red varietals however.

Other UF Applications

Other applications for UF include color removal from juice or wine; removal of bitter tannins and color/mouthfeel concentration. The applications and the advantages of Ultrafiltration technology are only just beginning to be enjoyed. Designed and produced by the US wine industry leaders VA Filtration, these systems can be custom designed to suit your wine making specifications and are available for you to trial. Also available on a mobile basis for ‘bitter’ tannin removal and other applications