Wine Chemistry

From harvesting to bottling, analytical chemistry is an essential part of

the winemaking process. Chemical components can significantly impact
everything from wine’s taste and appearance to its longevity, making
testing important for home winemakers and large-scale wineries alike.
The following are just a few of the standard components of wine that
benefit from testing, and some of tools that can be used to test them.

Alcohol pH
During wine making, pH is the measure of the
yeast ferments the relative acidity of wine.
sugar in grapes into ethyl Low pH wines taste tart and crisp,
alcohol. In addition to degrees Brix, while high pH wines taste flat and
there are other means of measuring lack body.
alcohol content.
Tools: pH meter
Tools: Hydrometer, GC-MS, GC-FID,
NIR spectroscopy

Titratable
Dissolved Acidity
Oxygen Titratable acidity is
Dissolved oxygen is an approximation of
the amount of free total acidity, measured by
molecular oxygen titrating a sample of wine with a
dissolved in wine, and its levels strong base.
can affect the wine’s quality and Tools: Tritator
longevity.
Tools: DO meter

Volatile Degrees Brix

Acidity Brix is a way to
Volatile acidity refers measure the
to the amount of volatile approximate levels of sugar in
acids present in wine, which wine grapes and must, which
is mainly caused by bacteria ultimately determines how
in the wine creating acetic much alcohol will be present in
acid and ethyl acetate. the wine.
Tools: GC-MS, HPLC Tools: Refractometer

Turbidity Sulfites
Turbidity refers to Sulfites are the most
the concentration of common preservatives
undissolved, suspended particles used in winemaking, and the levels
in wine, which give it a cloudy or of some sulfites in wine are subject
hazy appearance. to regulation.
Tools: Turbidity meter Tools: Photometric analyzer,
Titrator, Ion chromatography