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A Comparison of Wine Transfer Methods Pumping vs. Siphoning vs. Dumping | | | There are many points in the winemaking process where minimizing oxygen exposure is completely under the control of the winemaker and can have a big impact of the resulting quality and longevity of the wine. One such instance is during racking. The importance of this step led us, at The Beverage People, to experiment with different methods of transferring wine and measuring the changes in SO2 and oxygen uptake with each method. | | A Comparison of Wine Transfer Methods: Oxygen Uptake and SO2 Loss
by Jane Jackson, Copyright by The Beverage People 2022
Our Experiment in Racking
Racking is necessary at multiple points and, when poorly executed, can damage a wine that has otherwise been obsessed over to that point. Three common methods of racking include pouring from container to container (or splash racking), siphoning with a racking cane or auto siphon, and pumping. The use of a pump is overkill when making small amounts of wine, and siphoning is generally impossible when making large amounts of wine such as in a barrel or stainless tank. At The Beverage People, we set out to perform an experiment with those three methods of racking to determine the differences in their impact on oxygen uptake and loss of free SO2. Our staff gathered for the experiment and we made a few hypotheses before beginning. Splash racking is the least gentle way to transfer, and would result in the most oxygen uptake and loss of SO2. Though this method is sometimes utilized to drive off hydrogen sulfide (instead of copper treatment), it is too turbulent to be used on a regular basis. The pump would be next most agitating. Although the Vintage Shop Variable Speed Diaphragm Pump allows for a more customized rate of transfer, most people are going to run it at full speed (4 gallons per minute) to expedite the process of moving a larger volume of wine. The Auto Siphon would be most gentle, resulting in the least oxygen uptake, preserving the integrity of the wine the best.
Armed with a Vinmetrica SC-300 and their add-on Dissolved Oxygen Meter, we prepared to measure the SO2 and the dissolved oxygen before and after the various racking methods. The dissolved oxygen tells us how much SO2 is needed to counteract the oxygen uptake during the racking process. | | We used a Vinmetrica SC-300 to perform our lab tests. | |
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