WINETECH Technical Yearbook 2020

HOW DOES KPA WORK? KPA works in a similar fashion to man- noproteins, CMC and MTA. It acts as a protective colloid, preventing tartaric acid crystal formation. WHICH TYPE OF WINE CAN IT BE USED FOR? White, rosé, red and sparkling wine base wines. DOES IT NOT INFLUENCE COLOUR LIKE CMC DOES? No, it has no influence on stable red wine colour. It is an advantage over CMC. CAN IT HAVE AN EFFECT ON A WINE’S FILTERABILITY? No, it is completely soluble in wine Scientific studies and commercial usage have shown great stability over a wine’s lifetime. Especially in comparison with MTA that has a very short stability range of three to six months, depending on storage conditions. Only one study indicated CMC to be more effective at prolonged high temperatures (45 days at 50°C) than KPA. WHAT IF THE WINE IS VERY YOUNG AND VERY UNSTABLE? KPA is shown to be more effective in terms of tartrate stability in such wines when immediately after addition. HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT?

Winetech vine and wine innovation watch: KPA for the tartrate stabilisation of wines

WHAT IS KPA? Potassium polyaspartate (KPA) is an approved wine additive (OIV-OENO 543- 2017). It is commercially produced from aspartic acid, an amino acid that naturally occurs in grape juice and wine. WHAT IS KPA USED FOR? It is added to protein stable, finished wines to tartrate stabilise the wines. It replaces the use of traditional cold stabilisation, electrodialysis, CMC, mannoproteins and metatartaric acid (MTA).

JUNE 2020

KARIEN O’KENNEDY: Winetech, Paarl KEYWORDS: Potassium polyaspartate (KPA), wine additives

WINETECH TECHNICAL YEARBOOK 2020 178