I used a service place in Paso to CF the wines, so not sure how they operate the filters or clean them. But latest, state of the art stuff. Only thing I can say is that it must have been an anomaly in testing in that case, if you say there’s never an effect on pH with CF. However, to support my impressions, it still doesn’t explain why the wine tasted noticeably flabby after CF compared to before…
Did you save samples of pre and post to compare and contrast - and to taste blind? I’m not saying this happened with you, but so many people have a negative feeling towards filtering that they are predisposed to find that wines alter in a negative way without comparing them objectively. Curious to hear . . .
Cheers.
This was my first thought…either that or something funky with the analysis. A pH change of 0.37 is pretty big.
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Something would have to be really very wrong for an interlaboratory difference of that magnitude. If I got results back like that I’d want to have some serious conversations to make sure I had a good explanation for the data, whether from the labs or from some actual change in the pH between it leaving your facility and returning.
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I don’t have to. No one likes to talk about it. It’s like fight club.
So I’m going to give Uvaferm a shot and see if I can get this dry before trying filtering.
Thank you Adam for the suggestion and everyone for their advice. It is truly appreciated.
Keep us posted…
David - there are many restart procedures out there, I’ve done the Scott Labs one a few times and if you follow that, it’ll work (unless you might have abnormally high VA or something that can inhibit). Good luck!
I’ve never seen a pH change from a straight cross flow filtering. To cause a 0.37 pH change there is something terribly wrong. My guess is that the filter was stored on TSP (pH 12-14) and not toughly rinsed before filtering. RO for VA will cause an increase in pH but 0.37…
Adam did the color of your wine change?
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Color did not change.
Very strange my friend. Did you notice the difference in taste? I’m assuming so - but just wondering if the lab screwed up.
Cheers
Well, it was noticeable flabby as I said. That could be that the wine was just stressed and hadn’t built itself back again, which I’ve heard is a common phase with filtered wines.
We sterile filter our Sauvignon Blancs (they don’t finish ML) and without fail I like them better after than before. Every time.
Also, same TA and pH coming out as going in.
I’m a less is more guy and I don’t love filtration and try to not do it if possible. But with Rose’, I have had trouble getting it ultra dry to where I feel comfortable bottling without filtration. I have had my Rose’ cross flow filtered for the last several years and have never experienced a shift in pH before and after. I have to grudgingly admit that I don’t find it to impact flavor. If anything, one wine had a touch of reduction which was gone after CF. For the OP, I would definitely filter and at least trial more acid, pH seems high for a off dry wine.
Adam, could you have gone through MLF right before CF? At 3.4, you are getting high enough for that to be a risk. Easy enough to check Malic levels.
Steve - Malic was completed. I have filtered at same facility again and not experienced any pH shift, so it must have been a measuring error. It doesn’t explain the flabby, disjointed taste, but I’ve come to understand that the wines get a bit discombobulated right after filtering and it takes them some time to find themselves again. On my Chard it was a much different experience and I’m now a believer in CF. It really elevated that wine.
So to follow up on this thread. I took Adam’s advice and did a Uvaferm restart. I didn’t follow the protocol 100% but fermentation did take place, albeit painfully slowly. Got the labs back on some samples and 2 were essentially dry - at or below 1 g/l and a another was below 3 g/l.
So we bottled about about a quarter of our wine and will let the remainder finish bubbling.
First samples taste pretty good without any off flavors. The wine tastes dry, maybe less round than previous years (probably because of RS!) but happy with the outcome.
Thank you to all who offered advice and counsel. This forum is such a valuable resource!
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