Laboratory Chemicals for Winemaking: Why Do You Need Them?

While the grapes are the basis for a great wine, the juice from them cannot turn into the ideal wine without assistance from certain laboratory chemicals. Chemicals assist with various stages of winemaking, including fermentation. For this reason, you need to understand which chemicals to add to achieve the desired outcome for your batch of wine. Below, we provide you with a list of chemicals that you may need to add to your wine and what action they cause to happen in your batch.

1. Calcium carbonate reduces the wine’s acidity in the must or juice stage prior to the fermentation process. Acid influences the flavor of the wine and this chemical can control the acid in order for you to achieve the ideal flavour with the wine that you are making.
2. Potassium metabisulfite comes in a powder and helps kill bacteria and wild yeast. Also, it performs as an antioxidant and protect the wine’s colour and flavour. This substance provides both potassium and sulfur dioxide, which are important in winemaking.
3. Bentonite is clay that contains various chemicals such as aluminium, potassium, calcium or sodium depending upon its dominant element. Its purpose in winemaking is as a clarifying agent to prevent an unwanted haze in the wine.
4. Diammonium phosphate or DAP is an effective source of nitrogen for yeast and lowers the risk of issues with hydrogen sulfide later in the process.
5. Citric acids and other acids help increase the acidity of the wine, which will also prevent hazes from occurring. Acids such as these are primarily used in white wines or non-fruit wines.
6. Polyvinylpolypyrolidone or PVPP reduces browning agents from negatively affecting white wines. It also strips out all colours from these wines. Never add it to red wines since it will make it have unwanted colour.
7. Silica gel is an effective fining agent the binds to proteins in both red and white wines. It does this without adding any astringency or flavour to the batch of wine. To increase its effectiveness, though, you can use it in conjunction with gelatin.
8. Yeast, while not a chemical, is an integral part of winemaking. You must have the correct level of yeast in your wine to ensure that fermentation proceeds in the proper manner.

For your supply of winemaking chemicals, rely on Grapeworks Consumables. We offer a wide assortment of chemicals, yeasts and other additives that allow you to fine tune your wine mixture efficiently in order to achieve desirable results. On top of this, we provide other winemaking supplies along with equipment and machinery.