Transcript Evolution of Micro-Oxygenation(MOX) & Current Practices

Evolution of the use
of Micro-Oxygenation(MOX)
& Current Practices
Jeff McCord, Ph.D.
StaVin Inc.
[email protected]
Outline
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History of MOX
Early, 1990’s, Appearance of MOX
Mid 90’s
2000 - Application of MOX to Maturation of
Wines, Trials.
• Current application of MOX – My Perspective
• Future of MOX
Short History of MOX
• In reality MOX has been a part of winemaking
forever.
– Pump overs, push down
– Racking, barreling
• 1991 Patrick DuCournau developed a process
and system to deliver oxygen to wines in a
controlled manner.
– Used to help tame Tannat in southern France
Oenodev –Pioneers of MOX
• Oenodev was formed to commercialize what
Patrick DuCournau developed.
• They developed a process and formed
consulting partnerships with wineries to help
them use and understand MOX.
Micro-oxygenation – a review
Matthew Parish, David Wollan and Robert Paul
Wine Network Australia Pty Ltd
Figure 3. The organoleptic phases observed in wine during the process of Micro-oxygenation (Adapted
from Lemaire 1995 page 112)
1990’s
• While working at E & J Gallo were approached
by OenoDev to use MOX as a means to fix
wines.
– This peaked the winemakers interest and Jim Peck
investigated MOX using silicone tubing to diffuse
Oxygen into wines.
• Worked to a degree but very difficult to control, due to
diffusion of CO2 and water vapor. Tried on barrels but
worked too good.
• Sort of a crude forefather of the O2Mate which was
developed in Australia.
MOX can Fix your wine
• Soften tannins, eliminate harshness
• Eliminate reduction
• Eliminate Green/Vegy/Beany Character in
wines
• Elevate quality of wines
• Best for use only with wines to be Barreled
• Dangerous to control and easy to overdue
Pre versus Post MLF MOX
• Pre MLF
– Pros
• Sets color
• Softens tannins
• Works best due to lower pH
– Cons
• Difficult to Control
• Problem controlling MLF and other advantageous organisms
• Aerative pump overs and air injection easier to control and
more effective
Pre versus Post MLF MOX
• Post MLF MOX
– Used to mature wines
– Can add use high rates of MOX if SO2 not added
– Have option to add SO2 or filter if microbial issues
arise.
– Easy to control and monitor
– Difficult to determine when to stop
2000 – Do you really Need a
Consultant
• Trial with the 1st OxBox done at Hess versus Oenodev
– Learned that MOX can not control reduction with presence
of high solids.
– MOX does not inhibit MLF in fact it kick starts it, most likely
due to displacing CO2 decreasing concentration.
– Once solids are racked off reduction was easily controlled.
– No real difference was shown between oxygenation boxes.
– Demonstrated that we can mature wines without Barrels
with a combination of MOX and Barrel Alternatives.
– Wine is amazingly resilient.
2000 – Second trial
• Using 4 – 10,000 gallon tanks with and
without Barrel alternatives in MLF complete
red wine
– Demonstrated (proved to ourselves/winemaker)
that MOX was better than control after 4 months.
– Temperature is extremely important and mixing
the tank before sampling was critical.
– Wine MOX’ed with Barrel Alternatives preferred,
actually preferred over similar wine matured using
older barrels.
3rd & 4th Trials
• Lessons learned
– Always measure volatile acidity.
• Added toasted oak will cause a bump up in VA.
• MOX will increase VA if Acetobactor is present.
– There is a Sweet spot for Aroma and Flavor development. Too
MOX little may not control sulfides masking fruity characters.
Too much or too long, can burnoff fruity characters.
– Can minimize Green characters but will also reduce fruity. Can
make a great blender but not a stand alone wine.
– MOX rates above 10 ml/L/month just burn up free SO2
– Can add more SO2 but totals will no longer be additive, good for
wines to be sent to the EU.
– Rapid decrease in free SO2 indicates MOX rate to high for that
wine.
Trial at Orcutt Road Cellars
• Can we make the wine more approachable as
a bulk wine to help increase price point?
Overall Treatment Protocol
No Oxygen Treatments
Oxygen Additions
1.) Control – No oak, No oxygen
a. tk 3010
b. tk 3011
2.) Staves only – No oxygen
a. tk 3012
b. tk 3013
3.) Segments only – No oxygen
a. tk 3014
b. tk 3015
4.) Oxygen only
a. tk 1203
b. tk 1204
5.) Staves + Oxygen
a. tk 1201
b. tk 6011
6.) Segments + Oxygen
a. tk 1202
b. tk 6012
Significant Chemistry Panel Results
60
free sulfur dioxide
total sulfur dioxide
b
50
b
b
40
ppM
ab
30
b
b
a
a
b
a
20
a
a
10
0
Control Ave
Ave St no O2
Ave Seg no O2
Ave O2 only
Ave St + O2
Ave Seg + O2
Significant Sulfides
ETS
1.2
50
b
b
b
48
ab
1
ab
ab
0.8
ab
a
b
ug/L
46
a
44
ab
ab
42
b
ab
0.6
40
a
a
a
38
0.4
36
34
0.2
32
0
30
Control Ave
Ave St no O2
Ave Seg no O2
ethyl mercaptan
Ave O2 only
methyl mercaptan
Ave St + O2
dimethyl sulfide
Ave Seg + O2
ug/L
ab
Red (520nm) vs Brown (420nm)
ETS
0.6
b
absorbance 420
b
absorbance 520
ab
0.55
a
a
a
Absorbance
0.5
0.45
b
b
b
0.4
a
a
a
0.35
0.3
Control Ave
Ave St no O2
Ave Seg no O2
Ave O2 only
Ave St + O2
Ave Seg + O2
Polymeric vs Monomeric Anthocyanins
ETS
54
390
53
c
52
51
370
c
c
c
b
50
350
b
49
ab
ab
48
47
mg/L
mg/L
330
a
310
a
a
46
290
a
270
45
44
250
Control Ave
Ave St no O2
Ave Seg no O2
polymeric anthocyanins
Ave O2 only
Ave St + O2
monomeric anthocyanins
Ave Seg + O2
When to use MOX
• Pre MLF
– Lower pH
– Able to stabilize more Anthocyanins
– Prone to Sanitation issues
– Difficult to control
– Macro Aeration appears to minimize need
• Post MLF
– No sanitation issues as SO2 can be added
My take on Clique-age
• First introduced to add a bit more oxygen to
wines in barrel to increase maturation.
• Was also used to minimize racking, minimizing
labor.
• Problem was sanitation.
– No cellar work cleaned sparger between barrels.
– If one barrel had a problem with Brettanomyces they
all could now be infected. And with a proper shot of
oxygen to aid growth.
• Interesting possibilities but only with proper
control on sanitation.
What have we learned
• MOX works but it is not magic.
• Good fermentation practices can, in most
cases replace pre-MLF MOX.
• Can do an excellent job of controlling
reduction/sulfides – Post Press/white ferment.
• Can help minimizes vegetal characters, but I
believe mostly though the control of sulfides.
Winemakers Headoff on their own
• A lot of development occurred in the late
1990’s and early 2000’s.
• New and different MOX systems became
available to the wine industry.
• Winemakers began experimenting on what
worked and what did not.
• Mid 200’s MOX evolved into tool for
winemakers rather than a hard to understand
process to fix wines.
MOX as a Tool
• Does it need to be “Pushed “ or will it be
blended with a Barrel Program
• Does it really need MOX
• How long before bottling
• What is the intended purpose
• How clean – Suspended solids
• What Temperature - > 50F & < 70F
Future
• Evolving DO Meters may allow feedback
control.
Future
• Evolving DO Meters may allow feedback
control.
• Totalizers – how much total O2 did you add
may aid winemakers when treating particular
vineyards, varieties and seasons.
• Do we really need to use expensive Oxygen
metering devices?
Parting Shots
• MOX is a tool
– Don’t be afraid, experience controls fear.
– Do not set it and forget it.
– Understand your vintage – Possible presence of
laccase.
– Understand your vineyards and winemaking
systems.
• Effect of yeast, ml bacteria, hangtime/pH