Clarification and stabilization of wine

The winemaking process naturally produces sediments that can precipitate out of the wine.

In winemaking, clarification and stabilization are the processes by which insoluble matter suspended in the wine is removed before bottling. This matter may include dead yeast cells (lees), bacteria, tartrates, proteins, pectins, various tannins and other phenolic compounds, as well as pieces of grape skin, pulp, stems and gums.[1] Clarification and stabilization may involve fining, filtration, centrifugation, flotation, refrigeration, pasteurization, and/or barrel maturation and racking.

  1. ^ J. Robinson (ed) "The Oxford Companion to Wine" Third Edition, pp. 173, 661–62. Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0-19-860990-6.