Term (also fine) for various processes to "embellish", "improve", "purify" or "preserve" a young wine. Degumming or clarification, on the other hand, usually refers to the processes for grape must. In the past, fining primarily meant the clarification of lees in a wine after fermentation (also known as flight fining). Today, the term encompasses many technical cellar measures. Some overlap with preservation methods, which are primarily intended to increase shelf life and prevent spoilage.
During fining, the addition of suitable substances to the freshly fermented wine binds suspended matter through chemical reaction and/or adsorption, which can have a negative effect on colour and taste. These are either negatively charged, such as yeasts and tannins, or positively charged, such as proteins and gelatine. The agents must be oppositely charged in order to bind the lees particles. They are added in dissolved form and form insoluble flakes with the unwanted wine ingredients, which sink to the bottom.
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Thomas Götz
Weinberater, Weinblogger und Journalist; Schwendi